Step by Step
by Miss Raye
Summary: -Alternative Universe- Elizabeth and AJ's paths cross one fateful night...
1. Step 01

Getting on the wagon wasn't so hard. You just say, "I quit."

AJ should know... he's said it a thousand times before.

"I quit." He looks at the bottle in his hands. "I quit."

Funny, the bottle doesn't answer him back. The decorative wax seal just stares at him like one big disbelieving eye.

"No really," he tells the gnawing pit of his stomach, "I quit."

He felt the cold wind sting his face and he pulls his coat tighter, lifting the collar up against his throat, but he's still cold.

So very cold.

And liquor... well, liquor made him warm.

"I quit."

How many times had he said those words in the last few years... last few months... least few days...

Hell, he'd said it more than twenty times today... and, if he was honest with himself, he would be saying it a few more times tonight.

Walking through the park he found a bench to sit on, there was no one around. No one to give him a disapproving look. No one to tell him how worthless he was. No one to make fun of how alone he really was.

Valentine's Day.

"Sh*t." He looked at the bottle... his own companion on dark nights like this... the only thing he could count on. "I quit." Even as he said the words he was twisting the top off the bottle and licking his lips. "I'll quit tomorrow." The cap fell from his fingers as he lifted the bottle to his lips.

"P-please?"

AJ froze, the bottle almost up to his lips, his heart hammering in his chest.

"Is... is someone there?"

AJ stood and looked around him. The area was empty. Snow covering the ground everywhere. And yet...

"Please... help me."

The bushes behind him rustled and AJ bent over to look into the shadows.

A hand. A small delicate hand. Curly hair. A pale face tracked with tears. She was crawling out of the bushes on her hands and knees.

If he hadn't heard the pain in her voice he recognized the beginnings of bruises on her arms... and the ripped strap of her dress dragging through the snow. "Oh my god..."

She started at the sound of his voice, pulling back into the shadows while her eyes roamed quickly over his face. "Please... don't... please... I need help."

The plea in her voice echoed inside of his heart... the pain in her eyes reflected his own fears... and somewhere inside of AJ he knew that this was the moment he turned a corner. The bottle dropped from his fingers into the fresh layer of snow at his feet.

He crossed slowly to her, getting down on one knee to keep from scaring her, he reached out his hand. "I'm not going to hurt you... please... let me help you."

She looked at him, her eyes darting from his face to his hand a few times before she reached out and put her hand in his. "Okay."

He got her on her feet and held her arm when she bent to put her shoe on. The slit of her skirt showed bruises on her thigh and AJ closed his mouth and swallowed bile back into his stomach. "Here, let me carry you."

She almost refused, he saw the fear flashing in her eyes, but then... looking at him... it was almost as though she saw right through him... down deep where he was battered and bruised... and nodded.

AJ picked her up in his arms and held her gently against his chest, feeling his own warmth seeping into her body, as he made his way toward his car. As he slid her into the passenger seat he looked up into the dark nights sky and thanked God that he hadn't decided to take a drink earlier. He was sober... dead sober... He got into the driver's seat and put the key in the ignition. As the car roared to life he felt her cringe beside him. "Don't worry," he told her, desperate to calm her fear, "don't worry. I'm going to get you somewhere safe."

She didn't respond, her eyes closed against the horrors she must have suffered.

As AJ shifted the car into reverse he let out a harsh breath and made a promise to himself... to the girl sitting beside him, "I quit for good."

And he meant it.


	2. Step 02

Disappointment was his constant companion. Frustration de rigueur. And 'whatever' was usually his favorite phrase.

Tonight.

Since he heard the soft sob of her voice in the darkness... AJ Quartermaine knew rage.

Sitting in the passenger seat she'd hardly made a sound, he heard a few muffled sniffles and a choking sob, but he didn't dare reach over and touch her. He'd tried once and she'd pressed herself up against the door and shivered.

He had never felt so helpless in his entire life. "I don't even know your name." He kept his hands firmly on the steering wheel.

She barely raised her head but he could still hear her voice. "Elizabeth."

"Okay, Elizabeth," he tried to sound calm... it was a lot of work, "I'm AJ."

"AJ." She repeated his name softly and he swallowed, shaking with rage at what she'd gone through.

"I've got to get you some help, we should go-"

"Just drive... please..." she hugged her arms tightly around her body, "I don't want anyone to know. I can't let... my grams know." She sobbed softly, her breath making clouds on the window of his car. "Just drive."

AJ shook his head. "You could be... hurt... and I would never forgive myself if you needed medical attention and you didn't get it. We should go to General Hos-"

"No!" She sat bolt upright in the seat and reached for the door handle. "No! Not there-"

"Okay!" He held up his fingers in surrender while he kept his hands on the wheel. "Well, there's more than one hospital in town... no matter what my parents say... we can go to Mercy... how about that?"

He felt her tense beside him, a shift of energy in the car. "Okay. Mercy..."

"Mercy Hospital it is..." he turned on the blinker and made a right at the next intersection.

- Mercy Hospital -

Mercy Hospital was busy, even at that time of night, but once a nurse caught sight of Elizabeth held carefully in AJ's arms she called over her shoulder. "Get Dr. Armstrong. Now!" The nurse directed AJ to bring Elizabeth into a private room down the hall. "Let's get her in here and then we'll get the paperwork started."

Elizabeth, looking over AJ's shoulder at the full waiting room, turned to look at the nurse. "What about the other people... they were here first."

The nurse smiled as AJ set Elizabeth down on her feet and nodded. "They'll be seen... don't worry. Right now we need to get you taken care of. " She looked at AJ. "Why don't you step outside and give us a moment, okay?"

AJ started backing out the door, but stopped when Elizabeth called out his name. "AJ... are you," she looked at the nurse and then back at him, "are you leaving?"

He started shaking his head before he spoke. "I'm here as long as you want me to stay."

Elizabeth took the gown from the nurse's hands. "I'd like you to stay..."

"Okay then... I'll be right outside. Just call me when... you know."

When the door clicked closed Elizabeth looked up at the nurse. "He brought me here... I didn't want to come."

The nurse nodded. "I bet you just wanted to go... somewhere... anywhere... you wanted to get lost... really really lost."

Elizabeth's look spoke volumes. "How did you-"

Looking down at Elizabeth's arm, at the bruises already turning her arm into a splotchy mess, she couldn't help the way her lips pressed tightly together. "Because, sweetheart," she sighed, "I've been in your shoes... and unlike you... I was alone."

Elizabeth opened her mouth. She wanted to tell the nurse that she was alone too. That she was only here with AJ because he didn't leave her alone. Because he was just a nice guy. The words just didn't come.

"Why don't we get you out of that dress. The doctor will be in soon." The nurse didn't seem shocked when Elizabeth grabbed her arm in fear.

"The doctor... is the doctor a man?"

The nurse covered Elizabeth's hand with her own. "Dr. Armstrong is a woman, sweetheart... don't you worry."

Elizabeth didn't say anything else, just turned around so that the nurse could help her with the zipper. The noise fairly screamed in Elizabeth's ears. The soft whisper of feeling as her one remaining strap slid from her shoulder down her arm almost brought her to tears.

"Oh, dear God." The nurse's words weren't meant to be heard at all, but as Elizabeth looked up she saw why they'd come bursting from her lips. Staring at herself in the mirror she wanted to cry but there was only an ache deep inside her. There on the full swell of her breast... teeth marks. Unbidden, a memory flashed in her mind, the pain... his head bent down over her... his fingers biting into her thighs as his mouth branded her flesh.

Elizabeth turned away, from the mirror as she pulled the gown up her arms. She reached up her arms to tie the strings behind her neck but the pain in her shoulders stopped her. The nurse stepped up quietly. "Here... let me."

- Mercy Hospital ER Hallway -

"AJ?"

AJ stopped his pacing and stepped up to the door. "Can I come in?"

A moment later, the door opened and the nurse stepped out. "The doctor is coming in a few minutes, but Elizabeth wants you to sit with her... if you're willing."

"Sure... yeah." AJ spoke up so quickly they were both shocked. "I'm here... as long as she needs me."

The nurse nodded. "Good... she needs a friend right now."

It registered in AJ's head as the nurse walked down the hall that she held something in her hands. A plastic bag with something red inside of it. When he stepped inside he realized what it was. Elizabeth's dress. Evidence. Forcing a smile on his lips he stepped into the middle of the room. Elizabeth was sitting on the exam table, her legs swinging slightly back and forth. Sitting there in the white gown, her hair flowing over her shoulders, Elizabeth looked very very young. It made the horror she'd experienced that much worse. "When the doctor comes in," he swallowed as she looked up at him, her blue eyes dark with pain, "I can-"

There was a knock at the door. "Elizabeth? This is Doctor Armstrong. May I come in?"

Elizabeth could only nod, so AJ opened the door and let the doctor inside.

The woman would have been no more than fifty, her hair lightly streaked with grey. She looked between the two of them and smiled. "I need to do an exam, Elizabeth... I need to find out how we can help you. Would you like me to call Nurse Owens back in to sit with you?"

"No... no," Elizabeth blushed, "she's really great... I just..." she looked away from AJ, "is it okay if AJ stays here..." she turned to him, her eyes wide with worry, "you don't have to... I mean... I can't ask you to... this is crazy, I-"

"I'll stay, Elizabeth... anything you need." He didn't know why it hurt so much to see her suffer... like his own heart was twisting painfully in his chest. "Just tell me what to do."

Elizabeth reached out her hand.

Humbled by the trust he saw in her eyes he stepped up beside the bed and took her hand in his. When the doctor reached for the hem of her gown he turned his eyes to the floor to give Elizabeth as much privacy as he could.

AJ had no idea how long the exam took, but through all of the murmured words and pain-filled gasps he held her hand. For each flash from the camera he felt her dig her nails deeper and deeper into his palm, but he didn't loosen his hold. When he heard the last zip of a plastic bag closing to protect the evidence collected from her body he wiped his free forearm over his eyes and sucked in a ragged breath to stop himself from crying and scaring her more than she already was.

The doctor left after whispering a few words to Elizabeth that AJ didn't even try to hear and when the door closed he barely moved until he heard her breathe air into her lungs. He turned his head toward her... slowly... ready to look away at any moment. She met his gaze, her eyes shining with unshed tears, her free hand touching her hair with quivering fingertips. "Thank you."

He wanted to tell her she didn't have to say it. Wanted her to know that she never had to thank him again for anything. Wanted to-

"Well, look who's on the wrong side of the tracks... again."

AJ stiffened at the words and regretted it immediately. Elizabeth felt the change in him and she gasped in fear.

"AJ Quartermaine," Taggart laughed as he stepped into the room, "don't tell me I'm going to have the pleasure of putting your rich ass in jail tonight... it would make my month... hell, my year to-" the bravado in his voice stopped when AJ got to his feet and he could see Elizabeth reflected in the mirror on the wall. The young woman had her arms wrapped tightly around her body as she shivered in fear.


	3. Step 03

Part 3

When Taggart's voice grated across his nerves, AJ wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole. Elizabeth didn't need this... she didn't need him.

He stood, ready to take whatever barbs Taggart wanted to throw, but the detective was staring at the wall over his shoulder. AJ turned and saw what stopped the overzealous lawman in his tracks. Elizabeth was curled up on the bed, her back arched as she laid her head down to avoid their eyes. The ties of her gown had come undone beneath her hair and one side of her gown sagged open. High on shoulder was a bright red chain of marks... teeth.

A muscle in Taggart's cheek flexed. "AJ," he let out a solemn sigh as he pulled a notepad out from his coat pocket, "I think you should step outside. I'll need to take her statement."

AJ looked at Elizabeth, waiting for her to look at him. She lifted her eyes and nodded. "You sat there... holding my hand earlier... turning your head so I could... have some privacy... but what I'm about to say," she gasped in a ragged breath, "no one should have to hear..."

Blinking back tears, AJ tried to give her an encouraging smile. "I'll be right - outside - the - door." He pointed at it. "You let me know when to come back in."

She nodded and AJ made his way to the door. He made contact with Taggart, their eyes full of her pain, and AJ nodded. "Take care of her, Detective."

"I will."

When AJ closed the door behind him, he sank down to the cold tile floor and covered his face with his hands. What he wanted more than anything in the world... was a drink. A couple of drinks... a whole damn case of Scotch... but he fought down the urge and waited. For her.

When the door opened up, AJ scrambled to his feet and met Taggart's eyes with his own. He was wary of the Detective, they'd been enemies for quite some time... deservedly so, because AJ had been a complete idiot for quite some time. This time, there was no snap of anger in Taggart's eyes... no pointed look or smart comments from the man who wore his badge like a battering ram. Taggart looked older... tired.

Taggart pulled the door almost closed and stared down at the notebook in his hands. "I've seen some shit in this town... I'd seen some violence that made me want to lose my lunch... but what that asshole did to that young woman in there..." his eyes stared at AJ as if he didn't really see him, "is pure evil."

A moment later he seemed to snap out of it. "You found her... where?"

"In the park, by the fountain." AJ fought off the images in his mind.

"What were you doing there?"

AJ didn't begrudge Taggart the question. He had to be suspicious. Anyone would be. "I was there to be alone."

Taggart's eye narrowed on his face. "You went there to drink."

"Yeah." There was no need to lie. "I almost did... but then I heard her voice." He bit his lip as his mind replayed the plaintive cry from the bushes. "She was on her hands and knees crawling from under the bushes... I can't," he squeezed his eyes shut, "I can't get the image out of my head... that red dress... all that snow... who could do that to her?"

"Someone completely sick in the head, that's for sure."

AJ could only nod in agreement.

"Look, I want you to come with me and show me where you were in the park. I need more evidence... anything that can lead us to this sick mother fu-"

"I'm not leaving her, Taggart. I'm not."

The detective wavered. "I get that you want to help her... but I need to know where she was... she'll be alright here for a few hours."

"No." AJ shook his head. "I'm not going." He hated to admit it to the detective, but it had to be said. "I had a bottle with me. I was ready to take a drink when I found her. I think I dropped it by the bench. In this cold I doubt anyone's been there since we left. If you go to the fountain you'll be able to find it."

Narrowing his gaze at the younger man, Taggart nodded. "I'll go and look, but if I can't find it I'm coming back for you."

AJ nodded. "You've got my number." With that AJ slipped back into the exam room, leaving Taggart in the hall.

The detective watched the way Elizabeth held her hand out to AJ as he stepped up beside the bed and he had more than a little bit of trouble reconciling what he knew about the Quartermaine heir and the young man he'd just been talking to. "I thought I had your number, boy... but after tonight... I may have to change my mind."

- The Hardy House -

When she'd been released by Dr. Armstrong, Elizabeth insisted that AJ take her home. Grams had relaxed her curfew for the dance, but she couldn't push it too much. She didn't want the questions that it would bring up. She couldn't handle Grams disapproving look. Not tonight... she just couldn't.

The whole drive there the only words either of them had spoken were only to give and get directions to Elizabeth's home. AJ knew that the questions from the doctor had been hard, but the detective probably more so. Taggart, AJ hoped, had some tact and seemed to sympathize with Elizabeth so while the questioning had been rough, she'd made it through.

As AJ pulled up in front of the house he turned off the engine and turned slightly to look at her. Elizabeth peered out of the window at the house. The lamps beside the door were on and a light was burning inside the living room.

"Are you going to tell her?"

Elizabeth looked at him in the dark interior of the car. "No... she'd just say... she'd tell me I was stupid for being in the park... she'd tell me the biggest I told you so in the history of the world... I just can't hear that."

"She's your grandmother, Elizabeth." He gave her a smile. "My grandmother is my biggest... sometimes my ONLY supporter in the family beside my sister. And Emily only loves me 'cause she doesn't know any better. She might surprise you."

Elizabeth's silence spoke volumes.

"Whatever you decide," he added, "I'm here."

Releasing her seatbelt, Elizabeth reached for the door handle. She couldn't quite meet his eyes. "Thanks, AJ... for everything."

They walked up to the door in silence, and before she could reach for her key the door opened up to show Audry Hardy's disapproving countenance just inside.

"Elizabeth." Her tone darkened when she saw the oversized Jacket draped over her granddaughter and AJ's lack of one... "I thought you went to the dance with Lucky?"

Elizabeth's face pales for a moment and before she can open her mouth, AJ answers. "He wanted to stay out with some friends, so I offered to bring Elizabeth home."

Audry's expression didn't change. "And you drove her here... by yourself?" She leaned to the side and saw AJ's car on the street... dark and empty.

"Grams, I-"

Audry didn't spare a look for her granddaughter. Her dark disapproving eyes were fixed on AJ. "Go upstairs and get some sleep, Elizabeth... we'll talk in the morning."

Elizabeth wanted to stay and explain, but AJ's hand touched her on her back, gently moving her toward the stairs. She turned slightly and murmured her thanks, but the look in her eyes was complicated. Thankful, worried, with something else mixed in that he couldn't begin to decipher with her grandmother glaring at him over Elizabeth's head. "Okay... Good night, AJ... Good night, Grams." She moved toward the stairs and disappeared.

AJ was thankful that her grandmother didn't seem to notice the scrubs bottoms sticking out from beneath his jacket. He met her cold stare was a soft smile. "Mrs. Hardy, I want to explain-"

"Yes, AJ," she insisted, "explain how my UNDERAGE granddaughter... who went to a High School dance... comes home with a man... a MAN in his twenties?"

"Well, I-"

She didn't wait for him to finish, she barreled on. "I know your family, AJ. I know about you..." she folded her arms, "and what happens when you drive..." She flickered a glance toward the stairs before she looked at him. "I trust that this is... help... will not happen again? I'm sure that if Elizabeth needs a ride home... you will encourage her to call me... her family."

AJ realized a brick wall when he met one. Nodding, he struggled to keep his expression neutral. "Sure, Mrs. Hardy... sorry for..." he couldn't figure out what to say. "I guess I'll go home now. Goodnight."

- Outside the Hardy House -

AJ heard the door close solidly behind him and he let out the breath he'd held unknowingly. He moved out toward his car trying to shake off Audry's look. It hurt him... those disapproving looks... the impatient sigh as he was walking toward the door... hurt.

He took his keys out of his pocket and realized that there was a soft cast of light on his arm. Looking back over his shoulder he saw a light on in the second floor. Standing in the window, her hands pressed on the glass, was Elizabeth. He couldn't see her expression with the light behind her, but he summoned a smile on his lips and lifted a hand to say goodbye.

A moment later she waved her hand in response and then disappeared as she drew her curtains closed.


	4. Step 04

Part 4

-The Next Morning -

AJ pulled up to PC High and barely had time to put the car in park before Emily jumped out. "Hey, wait!"

Emily whirled around on the sidewalk. "Oh, yeah, thanks, AJ... but I've gotta run!"

"Emily, wait!" AJ rounded the car to stand beside her. "Give me a sec."

Her whole body seemed to slump and her eyes rolled heavenward. "What?"

"I was wondering if you could just let me know..." He struggled with his thoughts, trying to find a way to say what he wanted without arousing any strange thoughts in his sister. "Let me know if you see Elizabeth Webber today."

That shocked her. Emily leaned back to look up in his eyes. "Elizabeth Webber?" Her lips curled a little. "Why her?"

AJ pushed his fingers through his hair and shrugged, hoping it looked nonchalant. "I met her last night and I was wondering..."

"Oh, hey!" Emily turned away and waved excitedly at someone over his shoulder. "That's Sarah. Hey, Sarah!" She waited until the girl stepped up onto the sidewalk beside them, Emily looked up at Sarah as if she was the prom queen. "Sarah, this is my brother AJ."

Sarah looked him over and gave him a languid smile. "Hi, AJ." She held out her hand and he had no choice but to take it. When she withdrew her hand she let her fingertips slid along his palm. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, likewise." He turned to Emily. "About Elizabeth-"

"AJ!" Emily's mouth gaped open in an exaggerated expression. "Sarah is Elizabeth's sister. Sarah WEBBER."

"Oh." AJ looked at Sarah and struggled to see any resemblance between the two. He couldn't. Sarah was taller... her hair was lighter... her skin had a tan... her eyes... her eyes weren't the same color. "Yes, well, I was wondering where Elizabeth was."

Sarah's expression darkened and her posture straightened. "Well, she's not here... that's for sure." She raised an eyebrow and looked at Emily. "She gave Grams some story about being sick today... saying she couldn't come to school," her sigh was meant for effect, "personally, I think she probably got drunk last night and she's hung over... you know how, Lizzie is."

Emily's curious expression said that she, in fact, didn't know how 'Lizzie' was and AJ didn't like the implication that Sarah was trying to give her sister's character.

"She's home sick." AJ didn't mean it as a question. His own mind was full of thoughts revolving around the young woman in question. Without another word he ran around his car and got in. In the next moment he gunned the engine and then he was gone.

Sarah and Emily were left standing on the sidewalk wondering... "What was that about?"

Emily could only shrug, she didn't know... not really. Still, what she did know might be useful to Sarah, so she explained. "AJ said he met Elizabeth last night. Maybe he just wanted to say hi?"

"Sure, that's it." Sarah's look didn't seem to agree with her words. "Well, I have to get to class." She turned away but Emily followed after her.

"Hey, I'll walk with you."

- AJ's car -

As he drove, he couldn't escape the feeling that something had gone really wrong since he'd left her. Dialing the phone number for Mercy Hospital he waited for someone to pick up.

"You've reached Mercy Hospital. This is Nurse Owens speaking."

"Oh hey, Nurse Owens, this is AJ Quartermaine. I came in last night with-"

"Yes, AJ. How is Elizabeth doing?"

"That's the thing," he exhaled sharply, "I don't know. When I dropped my sister off at school, Elizabeth's sister said she stayed home sick. Do you think the doctor missed something last night?"

"No, I don't think so," her voice was really soothing, "Dr. Armstrong is one of the best... but if she's sick, please bring her in."

He shook his head. "You must think I'm crazy to worry like this."

"I think you're being a really good friend, AJ."

"Okay... thanks."

Moments later he arrived at the Hardy house and got out of his car, his eyes trained on her window. The curtains were drawn and there was no light he could see through the thick draped.

He walked up under her window and called up. "Elizabeth?" No response. "Elizabeth?" A little louder. "Are you okay?" AJ was concerned enough and crazy enough to look for the a way to climb up to the window. "I don't want to bother you... I just... your sister said you were home sick and I wanted to check... Please."

The curtains pulled aside and he saw her look out of the glass and held up a finger for him to wait.

Moving to the front door he waited until he heard the dead bolt slide open and Elizabeth opened the door to him.

She was wearing a fluffy pink robe over something that must have been her pajamas.

"You didn't have to come out of your way."

"I didn't." He half-shrugged. "I wanted to check on you... make sure you didn't need me to take you to the doctor... or pick up some medication... or something else..."

She shook her head, her damp curls bouncing around her shoulders.

"Did I get you out of the shower?"

"Which one? I've a dozen or so since last night." She blushed. "I'm sorry... I didn't need to tell you that I..."

"Hey," he gave her a smile, "you tell me whatever you want to tell me."

She looked into his eyes and saw the truth of his words. She didn't need to say anything... but if she did, he would listen... he wasn't going to judge. "I did feel sick," she explained. "But I just couldn't go to school... I felt like I had this... this thing hanging over me and that they'd take one look at me and know... know what that man did to me. I couldn't bear the thought of it."

He nodded. "I get it... I just... if you were sick... or hurting... I wanted to check on you. Help, if I could."

"If you don't have anything else you need to do... you want to come in for a while?" She looked up at him. "I've been jumping at every little sound. Mr. Merchison's cat almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Sure, I can come in for awhile."

Elizabeth stepped to the side and AJ entered the living room that he'd been summarily kicked out of a few hours before. "I hope that Grams didn't say anything really horrible to you. She was under the impression that I was supposed to be at the dance with Lucky last night."

"Lucky? Lucky Spenser?"

Elizabeth lowered herself down on the couch. "That's the one." She tugged her robe tighter around her body. "And I was supposed to go with him, but he told me that he was also going to be there with my sister, Sarah."

AJ winced. "That sounds like a whole lot of..."

"Crap." Elizabeth gave him a half-smile. "That's why I never went to the dance." She looked down at her hands. "You've met my amazing and beautiful sister... would YOU want to play second fiddle to her?"

"Well, first... I don't really want to dance with Lucky Spenser, so that kind of puts a damper on things."

Elizabeth's mouth turned up at the corners. "Yeah... probably not your style."

"Then again," he continued, "I've met your sister and I really don't see what you're worried about."

Elizabeth looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "You don't have to lie to make me feel better... but thanks."

AJ reached out and settled his hand over both of hers with a gentle touch. "I wasn't lying... and you're welcome."

She looked up and smiled at AJ and some of the tension in her face melted away.

"So," AJ leaned in a little, "is there something I can get for you while you're home?"

Elizabeth was just about to tell him she was fine when her stomach emphatically spoke up. "Oh, great."

"Sounds like you're hungry." He looked at his watch. "Way past my lunchtime... so it must be yours too."

She shook her head. "You don't have to go and get me something... really. I'm fine."

"Okay." He gave her a lop-sided grin. "How about I make you something?"

"Make something?" Elizabeth's incredulous look was almost comical. "Oh no... Grams doesn't let me cook anything... she's too afraid of me melting a pot or burning down the house."

He arched an eyebrow at her words. "I'd be more afraid of you catching that robe on fire."

Elizabeth looked down at the fluffy pink robe she was still wearing. "Hey... don't judge... my Grams thinks I look cute in pink... Me? I hate the baby colors. Ugh." She switched gears. "What about you? Doesn't the Quartermaine mansion have a cook on staff?"

"Cook isn't there all the time," he smiled at her, "sometimes we have to make things for ourselves." He saw her dubious look. "Don't worry, I haven't melted a pan... in years!"

AJ stood and Elizabeth got up to stand beside him. "I should just come with you... just in case."

Smiling, AJ swept out a hand. "After you."

"Ah," she joked, "ever the gentleman."

"That," he answered back, "and I don't know where the kitchen is."

- Hardy Kitchen -

Elizabeth sat on the counter and watched AJ as he expertly made a grilled cheese sandwich. "You really do know what you're doing."

"Don't sound so shocked." His protest was tempered by his laughter. "A guy's gotta eat... and it's not like a soufflé or anything difficult."

"Still," she held a plate out to him, "I'm still impressed."

"Good," he gave her a grin and handed her plate back to her. "Wait until you taste it."

As Elizabeth slid down from the counter, her robe slipped off her shoulder and AJ's good mood darkened. Her upper arm was a mass of bruises. He looked away before she turned back to look at him, busying himself with his own sandwich. As she settled herself at the table he heard her sigh. "It doesn't hurt that much."

He bit the inside of his cheek to keep his own anger in check. "It looks like it should." He might as well say what was on his mind. He'd promised her he would. "Is there something I can do? Something I can get you?" He turned from the stove with his own plate in his hand.

She smiled and spoke around a bite of her grilled cheese. "I've got the meds that the doctor prescribed so it keeps the pain in check. I don't really notice it all the time." Her tone made a liar out of her. "Actually... I haven't really thought about it... since you've been here."

Her smile, the soft blush, the light in her eyes... all told him that she was being open with him. He was glad... very glad.

- Nearly an Hour Later -

AJ looked down at Elizabeth as they stood in the doorway. She held a piece of paper in her hand with his phone number on it. "Call me... if you need something... if you want to talk... just call me... anytime, ok?"

Elizabeth's eyes were bright with tears. "Be careful," she warned, "don't blame me when you get a call in the wee hours of the morning."

"Wee hours?" He laughed. "Who says wee hours anymore... but yes... anytime."

"Thanks, AJ."

She surprised them both when she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. AJ wrapped his arms gently around her, afraid of causing her pain, but he couldn't help the way he laid his cheek on her head as he felt her breath fan through his shirt. "I'll see you later."

AJ felt her step back and he let his arms fall away. He walked through the doorway toward his car, smiling even as the door clicked closed behind him.

- DOWN THE STREET -

Sarah stopped short and Emily, who had been following after her, nearly walked right into her back. "Isn't that your brother?"

Emily gaped at the sight of her brother getting into his car just outside the Hardy's house. "Yeah... that's AJ."

Narrowing her eyes at the house, Sarah saw Elizabeth peering out of her window as the car drove away. "I wonder what he was doing here." She dashed down the street and fished through her pocket for the key. "Look, Emily, I know I said you could come to my house, but I really think I need to see if my sister's okay. I'll talk to you later." Sarah opened the door and shut it in Emily's face.

Emily seethed as she headed off toward home, fishing out her cell phone to call their driver to pick her up.


	5. Step 05

Step 5

Elizabeth's door banged open. "HA!"

She turned to see her sister glaring at her.

"I knew you were lying!" Sarah dropped her bag in the door and moved to the foot of the bed.

Elizabeth saw the anger in Sarah's eyes and felt it like a physical hit. "What are you talking about?"

"Sick? You're not sick... you just wanted to get out of going to school!"

Elizabeth had nothing to say.

"What did you do last night? Lucky and I didn't see you at the dance."

The reminder of the night before was odd for Elizabeth. She no longer felt the sting when Lucky chose to go to the dance with Sarah, there were so many more hurts that had come after that worrying about a school dance seemed so... stupid.

"It wasn't somewhere I wanted to be." The words fell from Elizabeth's lips like lead. "Did you have fun?"

Sarah huffed. "For awhile... until Lucky started wondering where you were and then he just kept talking about it."

"I'm really sorry." Elizabeth meant the words. She was sorry for so many things. "When are you going to see him again?"

Sarah didn't want to admit that she'd also hurt Lucky's feelings by talking about Nikolas pretty much all night. But she didn't want to let her sister off the hook. "I'm sure we'll be together a lot."

"That's nice."

"What I want to know," Sarah's gaze honed in on Elizabeth. "Is why AJ Quartermaine was asking about you today at school."

Elizabeth shrugged. "I don't know." She wasn't ready to talk about it with Sarah. With anyone... anyone except AJ. "I guess because I met him last night."

"Met him?" Sarah leaned down, it was a habit with her, showing off her model-like height. "Where exactly does a high school girl like YOU meet a guy in his twenties?"

She felt the cool night air on her skin, the scratch of branches against her skin, the catch of a thorn in her hair. "It was nothing, Sarah." She shrugged. "I met... I mean... He found... he drove me home, okay?" Elizabeth was desperate to finish this line of questioning... it was a dangerous road and she wasn't going to get stuck on it. She turned to the window, her arms wrapping around herself.

"Oh no!" Sarah felt Elizabeth's dismissal like a slap in the face. "We're not done yet, I-" She reached out and grabbed Elizabeth by the shoulder to spin her around.

"No!" Elizabeth whirled around and backpedaled until she fell against her nightstand knocking the lamp down to the floor. "No! Don't touch me!"

Sarah recoiled from her sister. The wild look in Elizabeth's eyes was disconcerting. "What is wrong with you?"

Elizabeth slid down the wall as she gasped for breath. "Don't... don't hurt me."

"Hurt you?" Sarah shook her head. "What is wrong with you?"

Sitting on the floor beside her broken lamp, Elizabeth could utter no more words. She was breathing fast enough to hyperventilate and Sarah was beyond confused.

"I'm not going to stay here and play into... whatever this game is, Lizzie..." Sarah spun on her heels and marched to the door. She snatched her bag up and slammed the door behind her.

Elizabeth folded her arms around her knees and cried great soundless sobs.

- Port Charles Park -

AJ couldn't go home just yet. He found himself retracing his steps from the night before and ended up back at the Fountain. There was police tape wrapped around the area and various people were curiously staring as a uniformed officer poked through the grass around the bushes. When AJ moved to the side he came face to face with Detective Taggart.

On reflex, he waited to see if the detective was going to revert to the same old relationship that they had. "Detective."

"I found your bottle." He nodded to the box near his feet. The empty bottle was in a corner. "If I was in the mood to be an ass I'd write you a ticket for littering."

AJ nodded. "Go ahead. I'll pay it."

Taggart shook his head. "I've got bigger fish to fry on this one, rich boy." He tucked his notebook away in his coat pocket. "How is she doing?"

AJ gave a little shrug. "She stayed home from school today. I stopped by to check. Got her to eat lunch."

"Good," Taggart nodded, "good."

Looking around the area, AJ wondered, "did you find anything?"

Taggart sighed. "Not much. We've been here since last night. We had more snow this morning and we've been waiting for all of it to melt to try and recover anything buried in it. There's not much. We just have to hope we get a hit off of the DNA from her exam."

AJ's complexion turned a little green. "I hope you find the guy... fast." His jaw locked tight. "Make him pay."

Taggart nodded. "We'll find him, alright... and he's going to regret hurting her." A thought struck him. "Oh hey, I was going to call Elizabeth later but if you talk to her first let her know I found her bracelet."

"Bracelet?" AJ looked confused. "What bracelet?"

Reaching into the box, Taggart brought out an evidence bag. "Elizabeth told me she was wearing her grandmother's bracelet in the park. We found it under the bushes last night." Rubbing his free hand over his face, "it was right there where she..."

"Can we give the bracelet back to her?"

Taggart shook his head. "I need to have it dusted for fingerprints. If there's nothing we can use than we can give it back to her."

AJ's cell phone rang and he answered it quickly. "Hello?" He listened carefully, his concern evident. "Elizabeth? Elizabeth? Is that you?" He looked up at Taggart and the two men shared concerned looks. "Please... just say something... what's wrong?"

A loud sob shook him to the core. "Please," he could barely hear the word, "come back."

- The Hardy House -

AJ pulled up in front of the house and barely remembered to take the keys out of the ignition before he was running up the walk. He tried the doorknob but it was locked. Lifting his hand he banged on the door. "Elizabeth? Elizabeth? What's going on? Let me in!"

The door was wrenched open and Sarah Webber was staring at him as if he was a madman. "What's going on?"

"Elizabeth," he gasped, his lungs starving for air, "where is she?"

"Elizabeth?" Sarah glared at him. "She's upstairs in her bedroom and-"

AJ pushed past her and ran up the stairs, pausing at the top. "Elizabeth?" He listened carefully but couldn't hear anything.

Sarah ran halfway up the stairs. "Look, I don't know what's going on, but-"

"Which room?" AJ looked at Sarah with building frustration in his gaze. "Which bedroom is hers?"

Unable to do anything else she pointed at the door to her right.

"Elizabeth?" AJ stepped to the door and put his ear to it. "I'm coming in, okay?" There was no answer and he felt his stomach churn. "I'm coming in."


	6. Step 06

Step 6

- Elizabeth's Room -

Elizabeth was barely aware of the voice outside her door.

It was so dark... so very dark. The snow was cold against her back... soaking through her hose. She shivered and crossed her arms over her eyes so the snowflakes wouldn't fall into her eyes. "No... please... no!"

AJ shoved the door open and barely kept it from bouncing off the wall. "Elizabeth?"

She didn't hear him and he really doubted if she was aware of where she was.

"Elizabeth." AJ crossed to her and knelt on the floor beside her. "Elizabeth." He gently reached out and touched her hands. "It's AJ."

"AJ?" Whether it was his touch or his voice, he'd never know. But Elizabeth started to come around. "The snow, AJ... get me out of the snow."

"Elizabeth?" AJ turned to see Sarah in the doorway. "What's wrong with you?"

"The snow... the snow..." she mumbled the words over and over again, "so cold."

"She's in her robe!" Sarah didn't understand. "It's warm in here... what's wrong with her?"

AJ couldn't tell Sarah. It wasn't his secret... it wasn't his life. "Sarah... please, let me talk to her alone."

That got a reaction. "Fine, I don't have time to waste on this." She turned and walked out of the room.

Elizabeth fisted her hands in his shirt. "Please, AJ... the snow."

He half lifted her against him, drawing her petite body into the warmth of his embrace and let her sob into his shoulder.

- Sarah's Room -

The phone rang and she snapped it up. "Yes?"

There was a pause. "Sarah? It's Lucky."

"Lucky?" Sarah brightened a bit. "Sorry, I didn't know it was you." She grinned and leaned against the wall. "Hey I wanted to say thanks for going to the dance with me. I was hoping we could-"

"I was wondering if Elizabeth was feeling better. She wasn't in school today."

"Elizabeth." Sarah's fingertips were white against the pink of her phone. "You're calling about Elizabeth?"

"Well, I tried calling the house earlier but no one answered."

"My sister is doing just fine, Lucky." She couldn't' help the edge in her voice. Lucky deserved it. "In fact she's in her room right now... with a man." She could only imagine Lucky's expression at that bombshell. "What do you think of her now?" She hung up and barely contained a scream.

- Elizabeth's Room -

AJ rocked her in his embrace, his arms as gentle as he could be as he murmured any silly little thing that he thought might get her to calm down. "Just breathe, Elizabeth... please, just breathe for me."

She didn't respond with words, but as he held her she slowly began to drag in breaths at a slower pace.

"Just breathe." He laid his cheek on the top of her head and sighed as she relaxed her hands, letting go of his shirt and letting them fall into her lap. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

She nodded, her cheek brushing against his chest. "Okay... okay..."

AJ let out a long relieved breath as he felt the tension roll away from her shoulders. "I'm glad you called me." He smoothed a hand down her arm. "I don't want you to go through this alone."

As Elizabeth leaned into him he felt the distinct urge to kill the bastard that did this as quickly as he'd killed drinks in the past... as much as he wanted one now.

-Kelly's -

Lucky Spenser walked in and sat at an empty table and managed to order something to eat even though he couldn't quite recall what it was. He was playing and replaying his conversation with Sarah in his head. She was really mad at him and he didn't understand why. Weren't girls happy when you were concerned about their families? He shook his head.

What was going on in that house? What did Sarah mean when she said there was a man in Elizabeth's room? A man... like a guy... or man like an adult? Either way he didn't like the idea somehow.

The door to Kelly's banged open and Emily sat down at his table. "Oh my god!"

He gave her a strange look. "What happened?"

"Our driver was busy!"

Lucky shrugged.

"I had to walk all the way here from Sarah's house!"

"Why didn't you just take the bus?"

"Have you seen who rides the bus around here?"

Lucky nodded. "I do."

"Well," she rolled her eyes, "you're fine but all these really strange people ride the bus."

"I just talked to Sarah. She mentioned something about a guy being over there with Elizabeth."

"Ugh," Emily signaled the waitress, "tell me about it... my brother was there."

Lucky narrowed a look at Emily. "Jason? What's he doing there?"

"No," she laughed, shaking her head, "AJ. But really, either one hanging out with Lizzie? Weird! They're like really 'old' compared to her. Sarah said Lizzie had a reputation, but I don't see either one of my brothers thinking she's hot enough to be with." She shuddered. "Too strange to even think about."

The problem was... Lucky couldn't stop thinking about it.

-Elizabeth's Room -

Elizabeth heard the tick tock of the clock on the wall and saw the time. Her grams would be coming home soon and she knew that as soon as Grams walked in the door Sarah would blab. She groaned.

AJ startled and looked down at her. "What's wrong?"

"I need to get out of here." She looked up at him. "Now."

"Uh... sure... okay." He helped her to get up before he struggled to get on his feet. He'd been fine at first but his left leg had fallen asleep when Elizabeth was crying on his shoulder. By the time he got up, Elizabeth had dropped her robe on the bed was in her closet moving things around. She grabbed an oversized sweater that looked like it was big enough for Andre the Giant and she somehow slipped it over her head. "Where do you want to go?"

She shrugged and winced at the pain that shot through her back. "I don't care... just let me feel the wind on my face? Please?"

"Anything." AJ picked up her purse from the floor and followed her out of the room.

- Sarah's Bedroom -

Sarah watched from the window as Elizabeth climbed into AJ's car. She tried not to seethe too much. Still ,he'd opened the door for her and closed it before moving around to the driver's side. When the engine roared to life, Sarah picked up her phone and dialed.

"Hello? Grams? There's something you need to know."


	7. Step 07

Step 7

They drove around Port Charles for what felt like hours. AJ made a lot of small talk as they drove, more small talk than he'd ever made at any of the silly society parties his family held at the mansion or any of the office parties at ELQ. He kept up both sides of their conversation because he didn't know what else to say... and he knew she didn't want to talk. He kept the windows of his convertible down and when she asked he'd taken the top down as well.

Now, even in the freezing air, she was smiling... a small ghost of a smile at the corners of her lips. Somewhere between Aldo's on 7th Street and Farm Fresh Produce on 10th Street he ran out of things to say. And if it wasn't for the fact that Elizabeth was sitting in the passenger seat, he would have stopped at Tom's Liquor Mart on 12th. He knew exactly where Tom kept the good stuff. He wanted a drink. Holding her against his chest, feeling the rapid pounding of her heart against his as she sobbed had taken its toll.

Being strong for Elizabeth was one thing when he was holding her together... but when he wasn't actively doing something... the old hunger came roaring back to life and he had to find something to focus on.

"AJ?"

He turned to look at her. "I'm sorry," he explained, "I didn't hear what you said."

She shook her head and spoke up... louder. "It's the wind," she laughed, "it's really loud." Something caught her eye down the street. "Oh, look! A Tommy's!"

AJ grimaced. "Yeah, so?"

Elizabeth leaned closer, her hand grasping his arm. "Are you hungry?"

He saw the meaning behind her words. "Are you?"

She nodded. "STARVING!"

Flipping on his turn signal, AJ pulled into the far lane and then turned into the Tommy's parking lot. As soon as the car was in park, Elizabeth grabbed her purse and opened the door. AJ met her near the trunk and saw the blank look on her face. Following her gaze he saw the group of men standing at the order window. They were big, thick in the shoulders, most likely football players from PCU. Elizabeth was rooted to the spot, her fingers white-knuckled on her purse.

"Hey... "AJ tried again to turn her head, "hey."

Slowly she turned her head and looked up into his eyes.

"What do you want to eat? I'll go get it for you." It took a moment for the meaning of his words to sink in and she muttered her order. She ordered like an expert, she'd obviously eaten at the chain before, but before she could pull out her wallet he was already walking.

"Hey, I didn't give you money!"

AJ continued on, moving deftly through the crowd to the window.

- Quartermaine Mansion -

Alice entered the living room with a curious message. "Mrs. Hardy is here to see you."

Alan looked at Monica with shrug before he turned back to Alice. "For me? Or Monica?"

The maid looked at each other in turn. "Both of you." She looked back at the entry. "She said she'll wait for you in the foyer."

Edward looked up from his armchair. "Oh good Lord, was is it now?" He gave both Monica and Alan a glare. "Why do you two always insist on bringing the office home with you?"

Monica's reply was a muffled guffaw, but Alan merely rolled his eyes. "I don't know where I learned it from." He stood up and offered Monica his hand before he walked toward the entryway.

Audrey was standing in the foyer, her coat still buttoned around her narrow form.

Monica was the first to greet her. "Good evening, Audrey."

Alan nodded to add his greetings along with that of his wife.

Audrey just stared at them, looking at each of them in turn before she spoke. "AJ has taken Elizabeth... right out of my home! And I want to know what you plan to do about it."

-Tommy's Burger Barn -

Elizabeth felt like a coward. Leaning up against the trunk of AJ's car as he waited for their food. She watched the group of men crowded around the window and couldn't help but wonder. She knew how tall AJ was... to as the others moved around him she tried to remember how tall the man was, she tried to remember how broad his shoulders were, how heavy he was or thin. The whole exercise was pretty upsetting and pretty painful. She turned away from the buildings, putting her hands on the hood of his car.

The heat of it nearly burned her hands, but she was fine with it. She almost needed the pain to get it out of her head. Dragging in a breath she let it out and started again. And again.

And again.

"Hey, Elizabeth, I-"

She heard the crunch of gravel and spun around. "No!"

- Quartermaine Mansion -

Monica took exception faster than Alan. "You think AJ 'took' Elizabeth?" She shared an incredulous look with her husband. "Why?"

Audrey bristled visibly. "My other granddaughter Sarah called me." She straightened her spine and stared down the two doctors. "AJ drove right up to the house, banged on the door and demanded to be let in. He ran upstairs and after he made Sarah tell him which room Elizabeth was in he walked right in and took her down to his car. They were gone in minutes."

Alan's confusion was evident. "I didn't even know AJ knew your granddaughters."

"We may not be as well to do as the Quartermaines," Audrey bristled at the perceived slight, "but they aren't beneath the notice of your sons."

"I didn't say that, Audrey," Alan began, "what I meant was-"

"You don't have to explain yourself, Alan." Monica's cold stare was directed at Audrey. "AJ, I'm sure has done nothing wrong." Audrey's mouth opened and Monica continued on. "I'm tired of people thinking that because he's had... issues in the past that he's to be held responsible for everything. "What about your granddaughter, Audrey? Isn't Elizabeth the one that's been in trouble at school? I remember that day you had to leave early from the hospital to meet with the principal, was it... and the, oh yes, the guidance counselor." Monica glared at the nurse. "But, to prove to you that your granddaughter is in no danger. We'll call AJ and see what he has to say about this."

-Tommy's Burger Barn -

Elizabeth froze at the sight before her. AJ Quartermaine with a full cup of iced tea down the front of his shirt. "Oh my go- I'm so sorry." Reaching over, Elizabeth snatched the napkins from AJ's hands as she started to blot the front of his shirt. "AJ. I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."

"It's okay," AJ set the cardboard tray down on the hood and tried to catch her hands, "I'm fine, really."

"No... no," she shook her head. unable to meet his eyes, "I'm such a clutz."

He could feel her hands trembling as she tried to dry off his shirt and from what he could see of her eyes was wild, full of worry. "Elizabeth, please."

"No... really, AJ, please let me help," she swallowed audibly, "please tell me this shirt isn't silk."

"Silk?" AJ would have laughed out loud at the idea if she didn't sound so... desperate. Her hands fluttered around his chest like butterflies and it really didn't bother him until her hands, and the napkin buffer between them ended up near his belt. He grabbed her hands as softly as he could. "Elizabeth, please, look at me."

She did. She dragged her eyes up to meet his gaze. "I'm so sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for." He shrugged. "I can replace the drink... hell, I can replace the shirt... but there's something else that happened here. Tell me."

A loud shout from the group at the window was followed by slamming doors and gunning engines. Liz all but jumped out of her skin, cowering in his shadow.

"Did you see something, Elizabeth?" He lowered his voice, trying not to scare her anymore. "Or maybe, someone?"

Her hands pressed tightly to her lips she shook her head. "No... no... I was just trying to see... trying to remember what he looked like." She met his eyes for a moment. "I tried to give the detective a description, but I couldn't really say anything. I didn't really know." She gasped in a breath. "He came from behind me, lifted me right off of the bench." She touched her shoulder, barely aware of the movement. "How big his body was... how tall..." she looked up at AJ, "I can't remember... I'm crazy, huh?"

"Crazy? No." He leaned against the hood beside her. "Human... definitely human. In fact, I'd be surprised and probably worried if you weren't. I'm just happy I can help you when you need me."

He caught sight of her looked down at the box on the hood.

"Like buying you the occasional health food."

She gave him a big smile and reached for her burger. "I'm not too proud to take an occasional burger from you, AJ... but you'll have to let me return the favor sometime."

He shrugged and reached for a fry. "If it means that much to you... sure."

The fry was no sooner in his mouth than his cell phone rang. AJ rounded the car and reached into the window to pluck it off the seat. Opening it he held it to his ear. "Yeah, uhuh... she what?" AJ turned away from Elizabeth and muttered into the phone. "No, dad, we're not... no we haven't... what does she think-" he let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, we're on our way back."

He looked at Elizabeth and mustered up a smile for her benefit. "Looks like we have to go back now."


	8. Step 08

Step 8

When they pulled up in front of the Quartermaine mansion, Elizabeth tried not to gawk. It wasn't just one of the larger houses in Port Charles, it was the biggest. The front edifice was something to behold and she found herself trying to guess how many rooms filled the inside of the large columned residence. She barely heard AJ tell her to wait as he skirted around the car to open her door. She could only blink up at him. "You didn't have to."

"On the contrary," he gave her a bow affected from his waist, "if I didn't do this and my grandmother found out, she'd kick me in the shins."

Elizabeth stepped out and gave him an impish grin. "So if it wasn't for your grandmother I'd be on my own?"

He gave her a smile, his eyes soft in the dark shadows. "I might have done it for you... since you're so nice."

She cuffed him on the shoulder as he turned to close the door. "And if you'd done it just to be nice, I still would say 'thanks.'"

They turned to walk to the house and AJ found himself walking close beside her, the backs of their hands brushing against each other a couple of times on the way up to the door. AJ reached into his pocket for the keys but the door swung open before he could take them out and Alice stood there looking out at him with a sympathetic expression stretched across her face. "Mister AJ, you're home."

AJ nodded. "Alice, this is Elizabeth Webber."

The tall woman brightened as Elizabeth held out her hand. The maid took it and gave it a few pumps. "Hello, Alice."

"Hello, Miss Elizabeth."

Giving AJ another sympathetic look, Alice nodded back over her shoulder. "Your parents and Nurse Hardy are waiting in the living room. I hope everything works out." She looked between the two young people. "You need me to go in there with you guys?"

AJ gave the larger woman a big smile. "No worries, Alice. Elizabeth can protect me."

The maid laughed and gave AJ a slap on the back that staggered him a step or two. After she left, AJ looked down at Elizabeth. "I'm taking my cues from you."

She colored slightly, her eyes full of worry. "I don't want to get you in trouble because of me."

"Elizabeth," he laughed, "I get into so much trouble on my own... anything to do with you... is easy to deal with. Don't feel like you have to say anything on my account. Really, I can handle my parents."

She pursed her lips together. "You shouldn't have to 'handle' anything on my account, AJ. You've been so great already... you've been there when I needed you and I'm sure that hasn't been easy... you should have a-"

"AJ? What's taking so long?"

"Be right there!"

They gave each other matching grimaces and turned toward the entryway. AJ shrugged and started to walk toward the living room.

-PCPD-

Taggart slammed the front door and pushed past a uniformed cop on the way to his desk, ignoring the man's gruff words.

He barely acknowledged Capelli's greeting but snatched a crawler out of the box on Capelli's desk.

His fellow detective only raised one brow at the theft. "Something crawled up your ass and died, Taggart?"

Turning on his computer, Taggart looked through the files that popped up. "Nothing, dammit."

Capelli leaned on his desk. "What case you working on?"

"That rape I told you about, the one in the park." Taggart had promised Elizabeth that he wouldn't give out her name unless it was absolutely necessary. He was going to hold to his promise no matter what. "You come across anything similar?"

Shrugging, Capelli pointed at the stack of folders on Taggart's desk. "You want me to look at the pictures and let you know if anything matches some of the unsolved cases in PC or New York?"

Taggart took the folder off the top of the file and slipped it in his desk. "I'm waiting for the results of the DNA test. That should give me something to work with."

"DNA?" Capelli leaned back in his chair. "That's a pretty expensive test, Taggart. Did you run it past the DA first?"

The sour look on the man's face spoke volumes. "I ran the sample against convicted felons that are currently back on the street. I bet we come up with a match on the first try. I just saved us from a bunch of paperwork... you'll see."

The phone on Taggart's desk rang and he snapped it up. "Yeah?" He listened for a few seconds. "Sure, I'll be right there."

Standing up from his desk he gave Capelli a look. "I'll be back in a few. The commish wants to see me."

His fellow detective nodded. "I'll take messages for you."

Taggart stopped in his tracks. "No... let it go to the machine. I'll get the messages when I come back."

Capelli shrugged. "Sure, whatever you say."

- Quartermaine Living Room -

For all the pretty furnishing and knickknacks the room felt really cold to Elizabeth. It probably didn't help matters that her Grams was standing in the middle of the room glaring at AJ. Elizabeth looked up at him and saw that his patented grin was firmly in place. He looked like he didn't have a care in the world, but looking at him from where she was standing she saw the truth. The tension in his jaw, the faster pace of his breathing. He didn't want to be here and neither did she. So, she decided to draw attention to herself. "Hello, Grams. Mr. and Mrs. Quartermaine."

"Don't forget me, young lady."

AJ looked over in the corner and spied the man in the big wingchair. "That's my grandfather, Edward Quartermaine."

The man nodded and folded his newspaper in half. "The patriarch of this great family even though my son and daughter-in-law find it convenient to ignore me all the time... even though I made his family famous."

Elizabeth smiled at his obvious plea for attention. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Quartermaine."

"You caused us a lot of upset tonight, young lady."

"Grandfather..." AJ's tone held a warning in it.

"Don't talk to your grandfather that way, AJ." Alan advanced a step. "While you were out we were busy entertaining an unexpected guest."

Edward nodded at Audrey. "Unwanted if you ask me." He sighed. "I just hope the disturbance doesn't affect Lila's rest."

"I'm only here to find my granddaughter." Audrey strode across the room and stopped before Elizabeth. "Come, Elizabeth, it's late. You have school in the morning." When Elizabeth didn't move immediately, Audrey reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Hey!" AJ's shout drew everyone's attention and gave Elizabeth a chance to pull her arm free of Audrey's grasp. He backed off when he saw his mother's disapproving look. "I just wanted to let everyone know that there wasn't anything happening tonight beyond a couple of friends having a snack as they drive around town."

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, we stopped at Tommy's Burgers and had some really bad chili dogs and fries. AJ was really sweet to take me out for a snack."

"A snack is one thing, AJ," Alan's disapproval was out in full force, "but apparently you both had no concern for how late you were out. How worried we'd be."

AJ looked at the clock. "I've been out later than this before."

"And I only need a few hours of sleep and I'll be fine for school." She tried to shrug off her grandmother's disapproving glare. "I'm young... it's easy!"

"That's just the thing, Elizabeth," Audrey interjected, "you're a young girl... and AJ's in his twenties. He's a _man_." Her grandmother put a LOT of emphasis on the last word. "And you, young lady are coming home with me _now_." Grams was really going all out on the pointed comments. Audrey preceded her to the arched entryway. "And I trust that after this rather 'uncomfortable meeting,'" Audrey's ton was arched as high as the opening in the wall, "will be the last one as I will be instructing Elizabeth to keep her distance from AJ." She narrowed a look at the Drs. Quartermaine. "I hope you'll instruct AJ to do the same."

"Oh, you can depend on it," Monica added from her position in the middle of the room. "I think it's best we keep them far away from each other."

Elizabeth narrowly missed Audrey grabbing her arm again and moved slightly ahead of her out the front door.

In the living room, AJ had had about enough, the way his family had just made a decision to write Elizabeth Webber right out of his life. It didn't sit well with him and while he didn't argue about it openly he was damn sure he was going to ignore the Quartermaine edict and do whatever he wanted to.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to sleep." He marched right up the stairs and onto the second floor landing and nearly straight into Big Alice's chest.

"So sorry, Mr. AJ," she began, "but there's one more message for you."


	9. Step 09

Step 09

-Quartermaine Mansion-

AJ looked at Alice with his lips pinched together. "If it's from my parents-"

"Your grandmother would like you to come and see her before you go to your room."

AJ smiled. The reaction was completely involuntary. Any thought of his grandmother always brought a smile to his face. "Sure, thanks for letting me know, Alice."

Taking a detour to her rooms he was met by Cecelia, one of their maids who routinely helped Lila in the evenings to prepare for bed. She gave AJ a sweet smile and stepped aside for him to enter the room. "Good Night, Mrs. Quartermaine."

"Good Night, Cecelia."

Lila's lilting voice was calming and AJ crossed the room to her bedside. "You're up late, Grandmother."

"With so much excitement downstairs," she chided him, "how is a woman to have any rest around here?"

AJ's expression was truly contrite. "I'm sorry if we disturbed you, Gra-"

"Not you, my dear," she chuckled, "I was referring to your parents and Audrey Hardy."

Again, AJ's worry softened his expression. "I've gotten myself into some trouble with them," he began, "I found Audrey Hardy's granddaughter in the park on Valentine's Day."

"Found?" Lila's blue gaze was full of concern. She was smart woman and didn't miss the subtle suggestion in the word.

"Grandmother, if I were to tell you a secret-"

"You can tell me anything, dear." Lila's soft hand took a hold of his as she guided him to sit down on the bed beside her. "I will keep your secret, AJ."

He nodded, covering her hand with his own. "Thank you." He drew in a breath, "but the secret isn't just mine." AJ took in a breath and blew it out. "Elizabeth was in the snow... crawling out of the bushes when I found her. She'd been... she'd been attacked by someone and left in the snow." He felt the reassuring squeeze of Lila's hand and continued. "I found her and took her to Mercy for an examination. She didn't want to go to GH."

Lila's hand gave his a pat. "Of course not... so many prying eyes... even when they come from people who would care about her. It would be as though her life had been laid open for their eyes. You were right to take her to Mercy. And the police? You called them?"

AJ nodded. "Detective Taggart took her statement and the evidence."

Her concern was evident. "Oh dear, I hope he wasn't overly rude to you."

"No," he gave her a shrug, "but it wouldn't have mattered to me. He took care of Elizabeth, made a tough situation bearable." It didn't help that he knows me from all the trouble I've caused." He shrugged. "But he set it aside and put her first."

"He showed himself to be human after all." Her soft smile drooped a bit. "And this time you've been spending with Elizabeth?"

"She's going through a tough time, Grandmother. I want to be there for her while she needs someone to help."

"I worry about you, dear. You have your own challenges... be careful not to put too much on her shoulders."

He smiled at her. "Don't worry about me," he grinned, "taking care of Elizabeth I don't really think about drinking much. And even when I do... when I want it really bad... I think about her and I can get through it. I don't have to run out and get a bottle."

He could tell she was worried. That was easy to see. "Just take care of yourself too, my dear. You mean the world to this old woman."

AJ leaned over and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "You mean the world to this degenerate drinker, Grandmother... but I'm going to quit drinking for good... for Elizabeth and for me. Just you wait... you'll be proud of me yet."

She sat back and smiled at him. The soft light in the room gave her white hair a halo of light above her head. "I already am."

- Audrey Hardy's Car -

Elizabeth found herself amazed. It had been nearly five minutes from the time they left the Quartermaine house and her Grams still hadn't said a thing.

Sigh. "Elizabeth..."

Tensing up in the passenger seat, Elizabeth swallowed audibly. "Yeah, Grams?"

"I'm really disappointed in you."

Elizabeth took the criticism like a slap. She couldn't say a thing.

"I thought you'd started to come around. You had a date with that nice boy, Lucky Spencer... however did you end up with AJ Quartermaine?"

Elizabeth opened her mouth to explain, somehow ready in that moment to blurt out the whole sordid story. "I was-"

"AJ Quartermaine?" Audrey's voice rocketed up an octave as she grabbed the steering wheel with whitened knuckles. "Of all the boys in Port Charles."

Biting her lip, Elizabeth leaned against the door. "He's a really nice guy, grams."

Audrey's laugh was harsh. "He's a Quartermaine, Elizabeth, he doesn't know the meaning of 'nice.' He may be charming... but a man like AJ, raised to take over a multi-national, billion-dollar corporation, doesn't need to be nice... he takes what he wants." She slid a glare at her granddaughter. "You don't understand this as a young girl, Elizabeth, but men... sometimes they don't take no for an answer... and young girls like you can be swayed by a handsome face and a powerful family."

Elizabeth felt cold hugged herself tighter. There was nothing she could say to Audrey at that moment that wouldn't sound silly or juvenile to her grandmother so she said nothing at all.

When they drove up to the house, Elizabeth followed her grandmother up to the door and into the warm interior of the house. Audrey kept up the murmur of their one-sided conversation as she hung up her coat and headed for her own room. "Do lock up the house, Elizabeth and get right to bed... you're well enough to go to school I think."

Elizabeth tried not to think about it. The idea made her stomach churn. She locked the front door and turned off the porch lights and then the interior lights, making her way up to the second floor without needing to see a thing.

- Quartermaine Mansion -

The morning came too quickly for AJ. He'd spent the better part of the night pacing around his room. He understood why his parents and Audrey Hardy, for that matter, had an issue with him spending time with Elizabeth. He was a bit older than she was. Still, without explaining exactly how he'd come to know the beautiful young woman... he wasn't likely to get far with them... and if he told them... he definitely wouldn't get anywhere with Elizabeth. She's most likely tell him to go to hell or bludgeon him with some heavy object.

Bang.

His bedroom door flew open and Emily was suddenly staring him down.

"Way to go, Em," he drawled out the words, "I might have been naked in here."

"Naked, huh?" She didn't look at all contrite. "Like I care!"

"Well, I just might, Em. After all-"

"After all, what?" She through back at him. "What you should be worried about is this... this 'thing' you have with Elizabeth Webber!"

That caught him off guard and killed the buzz of his playful jibes. "What about Elizabeth?"

"Don't you care about me, AJ? Don't you know that a girl in high school... a girl has to worry about public opinion?"

"What does that have to do with me or Elizabeth for that matter?"

"She's a slut, AJ. A loose woman who sleeps with anyone and everyone to get what she wants!" Emily fumed as she paced around the empty part of the floor. "You better stop seeing her!"

AJ felt the war of emotions inside himself and waited for Emily to turn and look at him. "First, I'm not seeing her... not like that. I'm just her friend."

Emily's look changed from horror to understanding and still AJ felt his skin grow damp.

"You're a good looking guy, AJ. Rich too... so if you need a 'friend,'" his teeth ground together as she made air 'quotes' with her fingers, "then find some hot college chick . That... I wouldn't mind." AJ's cold stare stopped her smile in its tracks. "What?"

"This conversation is OVER, Em. Leave now."

She furrowed her brow and shook her head. "Then who is going to drive me to school?"

AJ headed for his bathroom. "Not me."

Slam.

-Hardy House -

Elizabeth stood quietly by the door waiting for Sarah to come down stairs. Staring at the tips of her boots she shook her head. There was NO way that this day was going to go well. She's woken up at least four times the night before in a cold sweat, screaming out her terror into her pillow as she clutched it to her chest. The nightmares weren't getting any easier.

Sarah flounced down the stairs in one of her fashionable outfits and stopped short when she saw her sister. "You know," she grinned, baring her teeth, "I said you needed a makeover, but you've gone from trailer park to drudge in one sweeping step." She rolled her eyes when she got no reaction from her sister. "Whatever." She dug the keys out from her purse. "Let's go."

As they walked out, Elizabeth caught a glimpse of herself in the hall mirror and had to agree with Sarah. She wore a large sweatshirt over her baggy pants and an oversized shirt. It wasn't a good look for her, but Elizabeth didn't care. As long as no one was looking at her... she could hide... right there in plain sight.

- Port Charles High School -

Lucky waited out front at the driveway, looking for the Hardy's stationwagon. He leaned against the fence and watched as car after car pulled up letting off hundreds of students. Still, he hadn't seen who he was looking for.

Elizabeth Webber.


	10. Step 10

Step 10

-Port Charles High School -

Elizabeth wanted to sob with relief. She'd made it all the way through lunch and then to her fifth class of the day. ART.

When she set up her easel at the back of the class she couldn't help the thrill of it, sliding her fingers over the canvas she'd been working on for weeks she looked at the happy flower-filled meadow scene and couldn't remember what it was that had inspired the painting.

So, setting it aside she lifted a blank canvas onto the easel and started to choose her paint colors, squeezing blotches of color onto the palette. Dark colors... cold colors... shadows of paint on the palette that crept across the smooth wood. She lifted her brush and felt the bristles slice into the paint like nails. The sensation was alien to her... much like her own skin. The feeling of anticipation mixed with a fear she'd never known.

She closed her eyes, ignoring the incessant chatter from the other kids in the room, and gave the feeling inside of her an image. The idea frightened her, but she felt like she couldn't escape it. Nurse Owens had told her she'd feel like this... feel ready to crawl out of her own skin... feel like she wanted to throw up and scream at the same time... but the nurse had also told her to let it out... somewhere safe.

So, before she could think better of it, she let the brush loose on the canvas, the deep shadows spread from the heart of it and started to sweep up toward the corner. She dipped the brush again and continued the movement, forming points and slashes where there had been only blank canvas before.

Again and again she twisted the brush as the image in her head began to form on the canvas before her. There in the shadows of her painting was another thought, something darker than the rest... something like two eyes staring back at her.

"Elizabeth, I-"

"No!" Elizabeth sprang back and bumped into the wall, dropping her palette onto the floor with an aria of echoes and clatters, her hands splayed out to ward off danger. "No..."

Mr. Clemens, her art teacher was staring at her as if she'd grown a second head, his hand dropping down to his side.

Elizabeth knew what had happened. Part of her mind was still rational. She knew that Mr. Clemens had touched her shoulder and she knew by the look on everyone else's faces that she'd acted like a complete freak.

"Elizabeth?" He leaned closer and whispered. "Is something wrong?" He stepped closer, lifting his hand to touch her shoulder. "Let me help you-"

"No! Please don't..."

That's when the laughter started. Someone coughed up a sound at the other end of the room and then a guy choked on a word to her left and his friend snorted out loud. Elizabeth felt like the room was closing in around her. She could barely get a breath past her throat. She couldn't close her eyes to the sound of their voices. So she did the only thing she could...

She ran.

- Quartermaine Mansion -

AJ came downstairs for breakfast. Or rather... lunch. He just liked to call it breakfast since it was his first meal of the day. He was prepared for Cook's anger and the way she slammed the pots around. She did that everyday... at every meal.

What he wasn't prepared for was his mother. And her disappointed look that seemed to be her only expression around him.

She waited for him to sit down, setting her coffee cup down with a hollow clink.

AJ tried to ignore her, but it couldn't last. She was bound to go below the belt.

"Elizabeth?" Her tone nearly sneered the name. "Elizabeth Webber?"

AJ speared a piece of egg. "That is her name."

"Really? Elizabeth Webber?"

His fork clattered to the plate. "Let's not go there."

"You know she's a troublemaker, right?" She didn't wait for AJ to answer. "I can't count the number of times Audrey had to leave her shift to go down to the school to 'talk' about her granddaughter." She let the implication hang between them. "Why can't you find a 'nice' girl to hang around with?"

AJ's words hissed passed his lips. "And exactly 'who' are you talking about? Who passes muster for the Quartermaine heir?" He took a sip of his coffee and knew he was baiting her. "You don't think she's the right woman for me?"

"Woman?" Monica nearly dropped the coffee pot. "She's barely a girl!" She stood up, screeching the chair back away from the table. "It's statutory, AJ! Our lawyers can get you passed DUIs, but sleeping with an underage girl?"

"What makes you think I've slept with her?" His tone was angry... dark.

"She has a reputation, AJ. She's not exactly pure-"

"Stop it!" AJ stood, knocking his own chair down to the floor. "Shut - Up!" He turned away from her and then spun back, his eyes blazing with anger. "Don't talk about Elizabeth that way... no, don't talk about her at all."

She caught him at the door, her tone cold and crisp. "You'll stay away from her, AJ. You'll stay away from her because I told you not to..."

"And what if I want to see her... I'm an adult, Monica. I can do-"

"You're living in my house, AJ. You'll listen while you're living in my house."

He saw the calculation in her eyes. He saw it and wanted a drink more than ever. "That's not a problem."

She smiled and sat back down at the table for another sip of coffee. "You're right. It's not." She looked at him over the rim of the cup. "You'll stay away from her. That's all there is to it."

-Port Charles High School -

Elizabeth shot out of the doors, her bag held tight to her chest. She nearly bowled someone over as she gasped in a breath of air. "I'm sorry," she mumbled and started to move past, but a hand stopped her.

"Elizabeth?"

She blinked at him, frightened and embarrassed at the same time. "Lucky? What are you doing out here?"

"Me?" He laughed, a nervous cough of sound. "I've been waiting for you."

She looked like she would bolt. The confusion creasing between her brows deepened. "Waiting for me?

There was a voice, a whisper of a memory in her mind. A hot breath fanned across her cheek as an arm tightened around her chest. The voice was harsh, almost too low to hear. The arm around her body too hard, corded muscle. "I've been waiting for you..."

Elizabeth backpedaled away from Lucky, her eyes wide with abject fear. "Don't touch me... don't."

Lucky moved closer. "Hey... hey... I just wanted to talk to you... ask about the Valentine's dance."

"No.. don't."

He rolled his eyes and laughed. "Come on... kidding aside... why didn't you come to the dance?" He moved closer. "I would have danced with you, you know?"

"Please... leave me alone!"

Elizabeth ran away from him, ran down the sidewalk and out the school gate.

Lucky heard the bell and shook his head, making his way toward his last class of the day.

- Quartermaine Gate House -

AJ slipped the key into the lock and turned it. He almost had to shove the door open. It had been too long since someone had been in the gate house. Ned had been there before, leaving to pursue his music and get out from under the family's thumb.

Reaching back he grabbed his suitcase and dragged it inside. The furniture was covered in sheets to keep the dust away so it wouldn't take long to make it ready. He was thankful to Lila for giving him the key. Monica may view the house as her own, but the gatehouse was and always had been Lila's.

He needed to get away from the family... from Monica's anger and distrust... from her inexplicable hate of Elizabeth. The girl hadn't done anything to anyone and yet Monica couldn't stand the thought of her being anywhere near him.

No matter what she had to say to him, AJ wasn't going to hear it. There was something between the two of them. A connection that went beyond just friends. Elizabeth was someone that didn't look at him and see the rich boy gone bad. She saw him as someone she could rely on... He saw her beyond the troublemaker... he saw her beyond the wounded spirit... he saw the life inside of her... and wanted her to see the same.

He reached for the cover on the sofa but before he could touch it his phone started to ring. A fear he recognized sprung up in his stomach and he answered the call. "Elizabeth? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry to call... I know I shouldn't..."

AJ leaned heavily on the sofa, his eyes squeezed shut. "Elizabeth, tell me what's going on... please."

"I'm sorry to bother you, I-" The phone went dead.

"Elizabeth?" AJ peeled the phone from his ear and stared at it before he brought it back against his cheek. "Elizabeth!"


	11. Step 11

Step 11

-Port Charles Bus -

Elizabeth picked her bag up off the seat beside her and stood as the drive began to break for the next stop. The older man watched her in the rear view mirror and opened the door for her to step down in the front of the bus. He looked out the door at the city skyline. "Mercy Hospital?" He looked at the young woman. "You feelin' okay?"

Holding onto the door frame, Elizabeth stepped down and gave him a slight smile. "Someday, I hope."

She walked away and he closed the door, shaking his head.

- Mercy Hospital-

Nurse Owens looked up as the sliding doors opened and smiled. "Elizabeth!" As the young girl turned toward her she gasped. Setting down her clipboard she crossed the room. "What's wrong?"

Elizabeth trembled visibly as she bit her lip. "I'm falling apart."

Taking Elizabeth into her arms she nodded at her friend and mouthed that she was going to take her break. Leaning down to Elizabeth she whispered. "Let's go get a hot chocolate and talk."

- Gate House -

AJ knew how to pull strings. It was in the genes. He just wasn't used to pulling them for someone else. He was on the phone with customer service and then management of the phone company within ten minutes. "I need to know where the phone call came from."

"I'm sorry, sir, but we're not able-"

"Not able or unwilling to give me the information?" AJ didn't wait for an answer. "There's a young woman out there... who called me for help and then the phone went dead. I hate to think what the story in the newspapers and the TV will be if something happens to her and you did nothing to help!"

There was a flurry of activity on the other end of the phone. A not-so-hushed conversation. Then an answer. "Yes, sir, Mr. Quartermaine. We'll look up the origin of the call. If you'll give us a minute, please."

AJ paced back to the table beside the door and picked up his keys.

- Mercy Hospital Cafeteria -

Elizabeth warmed her hands on the side of the cup and tried to rouse a smile for Nurse Owens. "I'm really sorry to bother you at work."

"No worries, Elizabeth. I'm happy to see you." She watched the young lady before her and saw the conflict that slipped over her features again and again. "How are you doing?"

"Day to day," Elizabeth confided to her, "I feel like I just want to curl up in a ball and pull the blanket over my head."

"But you get up and you put one foot in front of the other, right?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Somehow."

"I'm really proud of you, Elizabeth. You're a brave young woman and I know you'll come out of this even stronger."

"If I live that long."

Nurse Owens reached out slowly and touched Elizabeth's arm, only after Elizabeth saw the movement and didn't flinch away. "You will... you've got support."

Elizabeth turned her cup around and around before her. "I don't think AJ wants to see me... ever again."

Sliding her chair closer, she lowered her voice. "What happened?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "I got him in trouble with his family. They're giving him a hard time because of all the time he's been spending with me."

"I take it that you didn't tell them about... what happened to you."

"No... I told AJ that I'd tell them... if it would help."

"And what did he say?" Nurse Owens took a sip of her hot chocolate.

_"If you want to tell your grandmother, go ahead," he'd leaned back against the seat and given her a smile as they drove toward his house, "but don't think you need to say something to protect me... I'm a big boy, Elizabeth. I can handle my family."_

_"But you shouldn't have to do that. They should know what a help you've been to me... I'm just a big chicken, AJ. I can't imagine what grams would think what she would say if she found out... if she knew what that man did to me."_

_"It might help," he offered, "to have your grandmother to talk to... or your sister."_

"He said all the right things... he's really been a huge help for me... supportive no matter what." She lifted her cup a little and held it in her hands. "I just can't tell my grams or my sister... they'd never understand me... never understand what I'm going through... I'm the worst excuse for a Hardy or a Webber in the history of the families."

- AJ's Car-

AJ drove up and down the streets in the area surrounding the pay phone that Elizabeth had used to call him. It was a few blocks down from the school and even though he saw a number of students her age, he didn't see Elizabeth at all. The more he drove the more he worried until he was startling to feel his stomach turn inside out.

He'd passed six liquor stores since he'd left his house. He hadn't counted them on purpose... he blamed the hunger just beneath the surface of his worry. The old AJ would have stopped even if it was only to pick up a can of beer, but now, AJ had no time to waste on something like that. He carried on, looking for any sign of her.

- Mercy Hospital Cafeteria-

"You don't want to tell your grandmother," Nurse Owens began, "because..."

"I don't want her to look at me... and see in her eyes... that she blamed me for this."

Nurse Owens recoiled slightly. "I'd like to say it isn't possible, but," she sighed, "but I've seen how something like this can make people say horrible things to people they love. The important thing is that you're getting the help you need." She studied Elizabeth's face. "Have you?"

She nodded and then shook her head. "AJ's amazing... he lets me talk about anything... but I'm the one that hasn't talked to him about... it. I just don't want him to look at me... and 'know.' I mean he knows that I was attacked, but I can't tell him everything... I don't want him to look at me and see where that man put his hands... put his mouth," Elizabeth dropped her cup and the hot chocolate splashed across the table top.

The two women quickly mopped it up with napkins and when Elizabeth looked up, she saw a sweet smile on Nurse Owens' face. "I have someone you could talk to... if you're willing."

Hope and desperation warred in Elizabeth's eyes.

- AJ's Car-

AJ was just about to call Detective Taggart when his phone rang. He snatched it up and answered. "Yes?"

He recognized the calm reassurance in the tone on the other end of the line. "AJ, hello, this is Nurse Owens at Mercy-"

"Is she alright?" AJ couldn't help the interruption.

"She's here and I think she'd like to see you once she's finished."

"Finished?" AJ's stomach turned over again. "What's going on?"

He heard the nurse's soft chuckle on the other end. "She said to tell you... 'drive safe... be careful.'"

AJ shook his head. "She's worried about me."

"You're important to her, AJ. So please get here safely."

-Port Charles Police Department -

The messenger service arrived at the front desk and was directed back to the Detective's area. When he arrived, there were more empty desks than occupied. Looking at the envelope in his hand he called out. "Looking for Detective Taggart!"

Capelli looked up from his desk, wiping the BBQ sauce from his mouth. "I'll take it."

Stepping up to the desk, he looked at the nameplate. "You're Capelli."

"Yep," he pointed at the desk fronting his. "I work with him. Happy to take the delivery."

The messenger shook his head. "I'm supposed to give it to Detective Taggart."

"Oh good," Marcus Taggart appeared in the doorway, "I've been waiting for that." Showing the messenger his badge to record the number, Taggart signed for the envelope and took it in his hands."

He ripped open the top as the messenger made his way back out to the street. Capelli stood up and moved around his desk to stand beside Taggart. "Is that the rape case DNA?"

Taggart didn't give him an answer, his eyes scanning the paper before him.

"Well?" Capelli huffed. "Did they find a match?"

With a gruff hiss of sound, Taggart snapped up his coat and left the station.

-Mercy Hospital -

AJ was standing in the hallway when the door to Dr. Christine Abernathy's office opened. Elizabeth stepped out into the hall and brightened when she saw him. She barely heard the final words from the doctor as she took the small appointment card into her hands, her eyes were full of him.

When she took a hesitant step in his direction he opened his arms to her and she ran to meet him and step into his embrace.

He held her close but lightly, his arms gentle as he held her smaller form against him. "You had me so scared, Elizabeth."

She mumbled into his chest. "I'm sorry... I just didn't want to put everything on your shoulders. I didn't want you to get fed up with me."

"Hey... hey," he took gentle hold of her shoulders and stepped back from her, "that's not going to happen. Not ever." He looked at the closing door and whispered. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

Elizabeth showed him the writing on the card.

DR. CHRISTINE ABERNATHY - Psychology and Counseling

She met his curious eyes with a smile. "Nurse Owens introduced me to Dr. Abernathy," she explained, "I had to... to talk to someone about... about what he did to me."

She saw a flicker of confusion in his eyes. "Did it help?"

Nodding, she reached out and touched his face, her fingertips gently grazing his skin. "You've been so great," she explained, "you've been such a good friend to me, but I couldn't... I don't know how to tell you 'that' without thinking that you'll see me in a different way. I needed to tell someone, but I didn't want you to think I was... dirty."

She felt his groan through their physical connection. "Elizabeth," his eyes suddenly swam with tears, "never. I can't tell you how brave I think you are. How amazing you are. You don't have to tell me anything... ever, but know that there's nothing you could say to me... no story you could tell that would make me see you as anything less than the beautiful person I see right in front of me."

When she relaxed into the circle of his arms he laid his cheek lightly against the top of her head. He felt her shudder and held her a little tighter... a little closer. He made a vow that nothing would ever drive a wedge between them... nothing.


	12. Step 12

Step 12

-Joe's Burger Shack-

AJ was more than happy to take her to get something to eat. Carrying stuff into the gatehouse made him hungry for lunch as well. Still, he didn't expect her to eat more off his plate than her own. He watched with a glimmer in his eye as her fingers stole another french fry, pausing to drag it through the ketchup and pepper he'd prepared on the side, before placing it in her mouth. It took a moment for her to notice that AJ wasn't eating. She narrowed her gaze at him. "What's wrong?"

Laughing, he shook his head. "Nothing."

"No," she pressed, leaning closer to him until their elbows nearly touched on the table, "what is it?"

He saw the furrow that creased between her brows and laughed. "Okay, I-" His phone rang and he answered it. "AJ." He listened to person on the other end for a minute before looking around at the nearby street corner. "We're at Joe's on the corner of 6th and Quimby." He nodded a couple of times. "We'll wait for you."

Elizabeth watched as he set the phone down. "What happened?"

AJ turned to her, a careful look on his face.

The look was enough to start her heart pounding in her chest. "What?"

"That was Detective Taggart. He wants to talk to you."

Elizabeth pushed the rest of her food away and barely managed a sip or two of her soda before Detective Taggart pulled his car into the parking lot. She sat up a little when she saw him step out of the car and when he sat down opposite them at the table she dropped her hands into her lap.

Taggart watched them carefully as he slid into the chair. He saw the way Elizabeth leaned slightly toward AJ and how the younger man turned toward her even though AJ kept his eyes forward.

"You said you wanted to talk to me?" Elizabeth reached over under the table and took AJ's hand, feeling his reassuring squeeze.

Taking a paper from his coat pocket he opened it up and flattened it on the table. "The lab messengered over the results from the DNA check that I ran."

Elizabeth looked at AJ and her mouth relaxed a little bit. "What did it say?"

- Kelly's -

Sarah and Emily walked in and immediately headed for Lucky's table. He looked up at Sarah first. "What's with your sister?"

"My sister?" Sarah sank into her chair in the huff. "What do you want to do with her?"

Lucky stirred his shake with his straw. "She left school early today. Is she feeling alright?" He waited but Sarah didn't answer him. "She was sick the other day, right?"

Sarah exchanged a look with Emily before turning back to Lucky. "She was home... but sick? Don't think so."

"So, what's wrong with her?" He looked back and forth to both girls. "She's been kind of 'off' since the dance."

Sarah took a sip of her soda. "She's my sister, but even I have to say she's always been kind of 'off.' Why would a Valentine's Day Dance be any different."

"Why are you wasting your time thinking about it, Lucky?" Emily gave him a big grin. "She's a little weird, let it go." She turned to Sarah and gave the older girl a grin. "Sarah and were talking about going to the movies on Friday... you want to come?"

Lucky pressed his lips together and stirred his shake again. "She even changed the way she dresses to school."

Emily sat back in her chair and stared at the handsome boy. "The way she dresses? How would you know?" She turned to Sarah, obvious frustration in her voice. "Did you notice?"

Sarah immediately shook her head and then stopped in mid shake. "I guess." She shrugged. "But what difference does that make?" She tried to ignore the thought that Lucky had put in her head, but it did strike her in an odd way. Why hadn't she noticed?

- Joe's Burger Shack-

Elizabeth looked at AJ and her mouth relaxed a little bit. "What did it say?"

Taggart leaned on the table, his elbows space wide on the table top. "There wasn't a match." He gave her a sympathetic look. "I ran it against everyone in our criminal database but there wasn't a hit in the system."

Elizabeth couldn't seem to process the information, leaving AJ to pick up the slack. "So what does that mean?"

"It means we don't give up." Taggart tried to catch her attention. "We keep looking for this guy... and we'll find him, Elizabeth. Don't doubt that. "

Sitting up on her chair, Elizabeth looked around, her eyes on every man in the area. "What if he finds me first?"

The words really sank home. Taggart shook his head. "That's not going to happen."

AJ looked at her, willing her eyes to meet his. "You'll be safe, I promise."

A laugh burst from her lips. "Safe?" She shook visibly. "He could be anywhere!" She pulled away from AJ, but he wouldn't let go of her hand. "He could be anywhere."

Drawing her against his side, AJ touched his cheek to the top of your head. "I'll be there for you."

She shook her head and pulled back a little. "You can't come with me to school and your family would freak if you spent any more time with me." She swept her fingers under her eyes to remove tears from her lashes. "I can't lean on you anymore than I already have."

Elizabeth stood so suddenly that both men were on their feet in an instant, but they could only watch as she paced a few feet away and took in breath after breath to steady her nerves.

Taggart gave AJ a hard stare. "She's got to tell her family." A muscle ticked in his jaw. "They can help her... protect her."

AJ couldn't argue with that. "She doesn't think so, but she's right about one thing... I can't go with her to school. She's already in trouble for having me around her as much as I am."

Hiding his laugh behind his hand, Taggart gave AJ a look. "You barely got your ass out of school, Quartermaine. I don't think you want to go back for anything."

AJ didn't need to answer him, Taggart knew what was going through his head. The younger man's gaze was firmly on Elizabeth as she struggled to pull herself together.

"I have to go to school. I have to keep moving or everything will come crashing down on my head." She looked up at the detective. "But you'll keep looking?"

Taggart nodded. He folded the paper into a small square and tucked it into his coat pocket. "I will find this guy, Elizabeth." He looked at AJ and then back at Elizabeth. "I promise you."

- Kelly's-

Sarah listened as Emily blathered on. Teachers, students, the trouble with having servants... blah blah blah. Sarah wanted to stand up and walk out of Kelly's and get some peace and quiet, but Emily was a Quartermaine and in Port Charles you were either under their feet or hanging onto their coattails. Sarah was not going to be under anyone's feet.

If she could help it, she was going to be the one doing the stomping.

She looked over at Lucky and saw his sad expression. She knew why 'he' was bothering her. Sarah had wanted his attention to soothe her irritation when Nikolas had dumped her... and Lucky had seemed only too happy to shower her with attention, but now it seemed as though he really was curious about her sister. She wasn't going to lose a boy... to her sister... NO. That wasn't going to happen.

Gasping loudly, Sarah looked at her watch. "Oh no!" She looked at Emily and then Lucky. "I forgot, I have to go home and start dinner... I promised my grandmother... sorry, Em, but I have to go."

Emily shrugged. "No problem, I'll call my driver... don't worry."

Lucky didn't seem to react at all.

"Lucky?" Sarah looked at him as she gathered her books. "Will you walk me home?"

"What?" Lucky gave a start when he realized that she was talking to him.

"Walk me home?"

Coming out of a stupor he managed to stand up without knocking over his glass. "Yeah, sure..." He put some money on the table for his shake and followed her out the door.

-Joe's Burger Shack-

Elizabeth stood, picked up her box and AJ's and headed to the trash with a mumbled, "Excuse me."

AJ leaned on the table, lowering his voice. "You have to tell me," he looked at Elizabeth for a moment before turning back to Taggart, "do you think he's going to come after her?"

Taggart let go of a long sigh. "This looks like a one time thing... can't find any other rapes with the same M.O. That could be good... he's not a serial. On the other hand... this might have been personal."

Something twisted in AJ's gut.

They both stood as Elizabeth came back to the table. Taggart closed his suit coat and buttoned it. "Hey, I've got to get back to the station, but you call me if you need anything, Elizabeth."

She nodded and stepped up beside AJ, allowing him to drape his arm over her shoulders as she leaned against him. "Thanks for coming by, Detective Taggart."

"You take care of yourself and I'll let you know when I have an update, okay?"

Elizabeth nodded and Taggart retreated to his car. Elizabeth turned and touched her forehead to his chest. "Do you mind giving me a ride home?"

"Sure," AJ smoothed a hand up her back, careful to move slowly and use the gentlest of touches, "you want me to drop you off down the street?"

She looked up at him with a grin that warred with the watery look in her eyes. "That would be the safest for both of us."

Safe. The casual mention of the word did nothing to ease the thoughts in AJ's head. He wanted to keep her safe... he just didn't know how.


	13. Step 13

Step 13 -

Always the sign of good luck... right?

- Hardy House -

Sarah rifled through Elizabeth's closet while her mind struggled to understand what was going on. Lizzie had always been the polar opposite of Sarah and she was almost used to the hard edge that Lizzie displayed like it was some kind of badge on her chest. It wasn't easy to be the screw up in the family and Sarah was only too glad that she was the 'good' daughter.

Even at school, Lizzie wore the tight tops and the short shorts... and the dark makeup that painted her lips a bright red. But over the last few days something really had been different. Lizzie barely wore any makeup anymore and the clothes she'd been wearing...

Sarah held up an oversized sweatshirt that Lizzie had been wearing around the house. It looked like one of Steven's old things left over from the summers they'd spend with their Grams. A pair of workout pants hung over the back of Lizzie's chair. All the clothes that she'd been wearing had been bulky and ugly as could be. Something was wrong with her sister... something very wrong...

She only hoped it wouldn't make her look bad when the secret came out... and so she was determined to figure it out... and stop whatever it was before it got out of hand.

- AJ's Car -

"I'm staying at the gate house on the property," he explained, "so if you call me you won't have to worry that someone else will hear me talking... or anything like that." He looked over at her sitting silently beside him and then back to the road. "You can even come over and no one will bother you."

She nodded.

"Elizabeth?" He reached a hand over and covered her hand with his. "What's wrong?"

Her hand tensed, but she didn't pull away. "I'm just sorry you had to move... I'm sure your parents really hate me now."

"Hate you?" AJ squeezed her hand. "I'm the one they're mad at and it's really not about you... they're convinced that I'm doing something wrong... they don't even ask me anymore... it's just faster to go straight for the wrong conclusion." He laughed and gave her a grin. "You're the one person I enjoy spending time with besides my grandmother."

"What about your sister?" Elizabeth turned slightly toward him. "She really doesn't like me... I'm sure she's had an earful from my sister, but public opinion at school is that I'm kind of... bad to be around."

AJ shook his head. "A bunch of stupid idiots... I bet the girls are just jealous of you, Elizabeth... you're beautiful."

Elizabeth's hand tensed beneath him and he felt her draw away.

"Oh, hey... Elizabeth, I'm sorry... I didn't mean anything... I just..."

"No worries," she laughed and withdrew her hand and tucked it into her lap, "you're really sweet to say it even though you've seen me... at my worst."

The car rumbled along for a block or so before AJ spoke. "Even at your worst... you're beautiful Elizabeth... and not just on the outside..." He saw her turn her face toward the window and lift up a hand to her cheek.

- Quartermaine Gate House -

Carly leaned against the wall beside the door and folded her arms across her chest. "I thought you said your family owned this house."

"First," Jason spit out, as he worked the lock with his set of picks "it's not MY family... but yeah, the Quartermaine's own it, and second, I don't have a key to everything."

"Then why," she sighed, "are we even here?"

The door swung open and Jason stood up as he tucked the picks into his wallet and back into his pocket. "You said you wanted somewhere a little more private than Jake's... so," he gestured at the room, "no one's living here now, so I thought we could use this place."

Carly stepped inside and noticed the furniture, some of the pieces were still covered. "Looks like you might not be right about the no one thing.. looks like someone's been here recently."

Jason let out a sigh and moved through the living room and into the bedroom. He flung open the closet and looked at the clothes. With a smile he snatched up a tie from a hangar and moved back into the living room. Reaching for the door he slung the tie over the outside knob and locked it. Taking Carly's hand he pulled her over to the couch before he slung his arms around her and drew her body up against his. "Now... what did you have in mind?"

- Hardy House -

Sarah looked at the calendar beside her desk and groaned. "The trash!" It was her turn to take out the trash and the last time she tried to take it out when it was dark she tripped over Mr. Porter's cat and the thing nearly sliced her to ribbons. So, even though there was plenty of time to get it out before dark, Sarah ran downstairs to get the trash out to the curb.

- AJ's car -

AJ set the car in park and got out to circle around to Elizabeth's door. She already had it open and was stepping out when he offered her his hand. Lifting her chin in a defiant stance she met his curious eyes with a narrowed look. "I'm not going to break, you know."

Lowering his hand to his side he nodded. "I didn't say you would. I just wanted to help."

All the bluster went out of her as she nodded. "I know." She sucked in a breath and leaned back against the car. "I'm sorry... I should know better..." she looked up at him, "I should treat you better."

He smiled and stepped closer, putting his hand on the top of the car as he looked down at her. "I'm not going to break, you know."

She gave him a sharp look that dissolved into laughter as she pushed away from the car and wrapped her arms around him. "You're a dork."

AJ closed one arm and then the other around her, tucking her tightly against his body as he pressed a tender kiss to the top of your head. "And you're silly... but I like being with you."

"You too." She mumbled the words into his chest.

-Hardy House-

Sarah Webber's heart just about sank into her shoes. Elizabeth... her little sister was hugging AJ Quartermaine. AJ freaking Quartermaine. The man whose family basically owned all the legal parts of Port Charles!

Sure, she'd made friends with Emily, but she was only the adopted daughter of the family. AJ was going to grow up to be CEO of ELQ. He was going to be insanely rich and for some stupid idiotic reason... he was hugging her little sister!

She was going to put a stop to this as soon as her grandmother got home!

- PCPD -

Taggart walked through the office in a dark mood. No one wanted to talk to him.

Well, almost no one. "You left here like the devil was riding your ass."

Giving Capelli a dark look, Taggart sank down into his chair setting the file in his hands on the edge of the desk. "I had some bad news to deliver."

Nodding, Capelli leaned against Taggart's desk. "Which case?"

Taggart wasn't going to say anything at first, but it was often true that misery loves company. "Sexual assault... a teen-aged girl was raped in the park on Valentine's."

Capelli crossed his arms over his chest. "What's the bad news?"

Leaning back in his chair, he propped his feet up on his desk. "Ran the DNA... nothing matched. I thought I'd get a match and be able to lock the bastard up."

Thinking for a minute, Capelli added his own comments. "You sure it was assault?"

Taggart stared up at the officer.

"Teen-aged girl... Valentines... maybe she got dressed sexy to meet a friend... and things... got out of control."

"Capelli-"

"I've seen it all before," Capelli reasoned, "a girl wiggles all the right ways, puts on a show... and when it gets down to it... she gets a little frightened and cries wolf when she thinks her family's gonna-"

"Shut it!" Taggart leapt to his feet, knocking folders off onto the floor. "Really, man... this girl was raped! Why would you... what are you... look, I need a break." Taggart stalked out of the room looking for a quiet place to kick the hell out of something.

Capelli shrugged and leaned over to pick up the folders. One in particular caught his eyes. He knew the code for Sexual Assault and while he set the other folders down on Taggart's desk he took the one folder back to his. Leaning back against the seat he opened the file on his lap and fingered the edge of the photo on the top. Printed in black pen at the bottom of the photo was the name Elizabeth Webber.


	14. Step 14

Step 14

- Quartermaine Gate House -

AJ parked his car on the far side of the Gate House so that anyone looking out of the mansion's windows wouldn't know he was home. He'd hated leaving Elizabeth at her grandmother's house... especially because he had to drop her off down the street. If he could pick a word for it... it would have to be something he'd heard Edward use a number of times... it felt sordid. They shouldn't have to hide... there was nothing wrong with what they were to each other.

Stepping up to the door he froze as his fingers touched his tie. His tie was on the doorknob. His freaking tie was on the doorknob.

Twisting the knob he flung the door open. "Jason, you can't just-"

He froze when a girl jumped up from couch, some of the dust covers gathered around her body. "Hey."

- Hardy House -

Elizabeth loitered as long as she could outside the front door, gauging when her Grams would come home and trying to spend the least amount of time inside. Still, she knew she had to go inside sometime. Taking out her key she let herself in and looked around. No one in the living room. Elizabeth tried to move up the stairs as quickly as she could and when she hit the upstairs landing she felt a certain amount of fear fall from her shoulders.

She pulled open the door to her room and stepped inside. "Sarah!"

Her older sister was sitting on her bed. "I was wondering when you were going to come in."

"I just got home, and-"

"You got home almost a half hour ago and before you start trying to figure out a lie I saw you down the street with AJ... hugging."

Elizabeth got over her shock and went straight to outrage. "Like it's any of your business, Sarah!"

"Oh," her sister mocked, "it IS my business... because I know that Grams told you to stay away from him."

Elizabeth slung her bag down on her bed. "Think whatever you want, Sarah... just get out of my room. I have homework to do."

"Homework, right." Sarah folded her arms. "You don't think I'm going to let this go, do you?"

- Quartermaine Gate House -

AJ stared at the blonde girl wrapped up in the dust cover of his sofa. "I'm assuming you're here with Jason."

"He just stepped into the shower," she gave AJ an appraising look, "he said you wouldn't mind us... staying for a bit."

"Actually," AJ shook off the anger, "I was kind of hoping to sit and stare at the TV for a while."

She shrugged. "We can do that," she nodded at the coffee table, "we brought beer if you want some."

AJ blanched at the words, his eyes lingering on the beers longer than he should have. "No... no, thanks... I don't want any."

She looked at him, her eyes narrowing as she considered his words. "Oh, I think you want some," she began, "but I think you're going to be a jerk and let me drink alone." She picked up an open beer bottle and set it to her lips. She made a big show of wrapping her lips around the bottle and taking a long drink.

-Hardy House-

"Then what do you want, Sarah?" Elizabeth was too tired to argue with her sister. "What are you going to do?"

"I was planning on telling Grams all about your 'boyfriend,' but what is that going to prove besides the fact that you're just the same ol' Lizzie that's always getting in trouble."

Elizabeth stared down at her feet. "I'm not like that, Sarah, I-"

"Remember those times the PCPD hauled you down to the station... smoking? out past curfew? God, Lizzie... you're a mess!"

"Look, Sarah... I really need you to back off."

Sarah was taken aback by the hard point of Elizabeth's voice. "Excuse me?"

"I'm not going to get into this with you, Sarah... if you want to get me in trouble... do it.. if you're expecting to blackmail me to get something... then lay it on the table... I have homework to do and I feel like crap so go ahead and take your shot!"

"Fine... just wait!" Sarah pushed herself up from the bed and pushed passed Elizabeth toward the door. "I'll do whatever I want... whenever I want." She stopped in the doorway and wagged her finger at her sister. "You're just a pain in the ass, you know? What's up with you, anyway? A raging case of PMS?"

Sarah slammed the door behind her... but she didn't need to, her sister was lost in her own thoughts.

-Quartermaine Gate House-

"So?" She taunted. "Are you going to join me?" She moved back toward the couch and flopped down on it, the abrupt action tugging the sheet down a little. "Jason might be in there for awhile."

"Actually, I'm going to ask you to find your clothes and get dressed. Once Jason comes out here, you're both gone."

She pouted. "That's not very nice." She sighed. "I thought guys like you were supposed to be nice... gentlemen and all that."

"Well, I'm not." AJ moved toward a chair that was still covered and pulled back the cloth before he sat down in it. "And I really need some quiet tonight..."

The shower in the bathroom shut off and the door opened a second later. Jason emerged with one towel wrapped around his waist and he was drying off his hair with another. "What made you move out here, AJ?"

"What made you come back, Jason?"

Jason shrugged and dropped the towel from his hands onto the edge of the couch. "Carly was tired of my room at Jake's... said she wanted to know what kind of house I used to live in." He gave Carly a wolfish grin. "Not that I really remember much about it in the first place."

"Especially," AJ added, "that you lived up in the Mansion."

Jason picked up his jeans off the floor and started stepping into them. "You don't expect me to bring Carly up to house and sneak past the servants just for a little-"

"What I expect has nothing to do with anything, Jason." AJ pressed a hand up to his forehead. "I just want to spend a quiet night by myself."

He didn't have to look up to know that Jason dropped his other towel on the floor, Carly's appreciative chuckle was enough to give him nightmares for a week.

Jason flopped down on the sofa and Carly grabbed her clothes and headed into the bedroom to dress. AJ rolled his eyes at his brother. "Please tell me you didn't-"

Patting the sofa cushion beside him, Jason shrugged, "we did... a couple of times."

AJ groaned. "I'm going to have to burn this sofa."

Jason shrugged. "It's strong... holds up to a lot of punish-"

"Shut up!" AJ looked at the bedroom and realized that Carly hadn't shut the door. She was fastening the clasp of her bra as she smiled at him. "I want both of you out of here in five minutes... and take your beer with you."

Jason looked at the coffee table. "What? We didn't use coasters?" He laughed and pushed himself up and off the sofa. "Fine... you're just as much of an ass sober as when you were drunk, AJ. I'm not sure which one I like less."

- Hardy House-

Elizabeth lifted her eyes to the calendar on the wall and she stared at it as though if she stared at it long enough... the numbers would change. Sarah had no idea how right she was... or rather... how wrong she was.. and Elizabeth hoped to God it was PMS.

Sitting down on her bed, Elizabeth picked up the phone and dialed Mercy Hospital. It took a few rings.

"Mercy Hospital. Nurse Owens..."

"Oh, thank God, Nurse Owens... I'm so glad it's you."

"Elizabeth? How are you?"

Elizabeth clutched the phone in her hands. "I want to say fine... but I've got a question for you..."

"Okay..." Nurse Owens was beginning to be very worried.

"I thought the 'day after' pill was supposed to work."

Elizabeth heard the exhale through the phone. "Nothing is a hundred percent."

"Oh," Elizabeth placed a hand on her belly, "I was hoping you weren't going to say that."

"Elizabeth?" Nurse Owens paused for a moment. "What's wrong..."

"I think I might be pregnant."


	15. Step 15

Step 15

- Hardy House -

Elizabeth listened but she hear nothing on the other end of the phone. Silence.

The lack of a response made her stomach turn. "Hello? Nurse Owens?"

"Okay... let's think this though, Elizabeth." She drew in an audible breath. "How regular are you periods?"

"Like clockwork."

"How late are you?"

"A week."

Another breath. "Well, it could be the stress you've been under."

"Oh, I dunno," Elizabeth puffed, "I'm not exactly the most 'calm' person in the world... but then again... this has been one moment for the record books..."

"And the pill is quite efficient." Another breath. "But not 100 % effective. Nothing is."

"You're not helping..." Elizabeth was fairly buzzing with fear. "What am I going to do?"

"Well," Nurse Owens sighed softly, "you need to get a test... can you get to a drug store tonight?"

"No... not really... I can't drive and there's no way I'm asking my sister."

"Well, if you're going to wait until tomorrow... you'd be better off going to the Harper Women's Clinic. They'll be able to give you a solid answer by the next morning if you can get into the clinic before they close at 3pm."

Elizabeth bit her lip. "Okay... 3pm. I think I can do that if AJ can take me."

"Good," Nurse Owens smiled into the phone. "He'll take you... I know he will."

Elizabeth thanked her and hung up the phone dialing AJ's phone.

-Quartermaine Gate House-

AJ was wondering if he'd able to throw his brother and his sex toy bodily out of the front door when his phone rang. Picking it up he pressed the talk button. "Hello? Hey..."

Jason turned to look at the odd sound of his brother's voice. There was a smile in the tone and that was odd enough, but the lines of AJ's face softened.

"Yeah... what? A week?" AJ looked up at Jason and saw that he was watching him. AJ turned his back on his brother but didn't see Jason leaning in closer. "What did Nurse Owens say? Tomorrow? Yeah, I can pick you up after school... sure."

"Hey, I just want to thank you for the towel." Carly stopped short when she saw AJ on the phone. "OOps."

AJ ignored Carly and hunched over the phone. "No... no one really... tomorrow... I'll be there." Hanging up he turned on the blonde. "Look, I didn't let you do anything... you and Jason just barged in here and had... had... whatever on my sofa! Please take your stuff... hell, take the towels and please go!"

"Whoa!" Carly tossed the towel at AJ's face and sidled up to Jason near the door. "We're going... geez... so much for hospitality."

When the door slammed shut behind the two AJ sank down onto one of the chairs that still had a cover and laid his head back. He didn't care about the dust that rose up above him he was too distracted by Elizabeth's call. Tomorrow was going to be a long hard day for her... and he wasn't sure that there was anything he could do to help.

- Port Charles High School -

Lucky was half way out of his English class when he noticed that Elizabeth had left her notebook on her desk when she'd left the class. Pushing through the escaping throng like a salmon headed upstream, Lucky grabbed the notebook and looked out of the window. Elizabeth was just leaving the building and heading for the street. She'd be walking home... so Lucky knew he had a chance to catch up to her.

When he reached the front door he nearly fell head over heels onto the sidewalk when he saw Elizabeth dart across the street and get into a sleek silver sports car. "What the hell?"

"That's about right, Lucky."

He looked up to see Elizabeth's sister Sarah standing beside him. "Who's that in the car with her?"

"That," huffed Emily on the other side of Sarah, "is my brother AJ." She glared at the car. "He didn't tell me he was coming to the school... he could have given me a ride home!"

"Ride home..." Sarah brightened, "Lucky.. you've got your car, right?"

"Well," he hedged, "it's my mom's."

"No problem," Sarah continued, "let's see what they're up to... come on." The three ran for the car that Lucky had parked on the street and they piled in a moment before AJ's car pulled away from the curb on the other side.

Lucky, making a sharp turn, managed to squeeze into traffic a few cars behind AJ.

-AJ's car-

Elizabeth was silent since she'd climbed into the car and AJ couldn't really think of anything he could say that wouldn't sound stupid or inadequate. This wasn't something he had any experience with, but he'd been thinking about it all night long since he'd talked to her on the phone. The beautiful young woman seated beside him may be pregnant and carrying the baby of her rapist.

The thought was shattering to him... and he wasn't the person it was happening to. He had no way to even broach the subject with her that didn't make him sound like a moron.

So, he just stayed as quiet as she did.

-Lucky's car-

"Why," he wondered, "are we following your sister and your brother," he looked from Sarah to Emily, "is there something I'm missing?"

Emily rolled her eyes leaving Sarah to explain. "Elizabeth and AJ have been spending way too much time together for my sanity to take..."

"Mine, too." Emily leaned to the side to watch the right. "They're turning into a driveway on the next street."

Lucky pulled up to the curb and set the car in park. The girls jumped out first leaving Lucky to lock up and follow them to the corner.

-Harper Women's Clinic Parking Lot -

Elizabeth could barely swing her legs out of the car after AJ opened her door. She felt like she might just fall apart if she touched something by accident... or if the wind blew at all. She had no idea what awaited her in the next day... if she was pregnant... she had no idea what she would be able to do...what she would want to do.

AJ's hand was out to her and she took it, afraid that she wouldn't be able to stand on her two feet without help. She knew her hand was quivering but she couldn't make it stop and even when she was on her feet she couldn't seem to make herself let go of AJ's hand.

AJ carefully matched his stride to her stride, taking care not to push or pull her toward the door. This was going to be her lead in every way. He'd called Nurse Owens the night before after Jason and his witch had left wondering what he should... could do for Elizabeth. The kind woman had taken pity on him and let him pepper her with questions and waited when he could barely talk or breathe as his emotions got the better of him.

Now as they approached the door of the clinic, Elizabeth stopped and AJ stopped beside her. "You don't have to come in with me," she offered, even as her hands tightened around his. "You can stay out here if you like."

"I'll be whereever you want me to be, Elizabeth. I'm here for you."

She nodded. "Okay... then let's go get this thing done..."

"Okay." He reached out his free hand and pulled the door open. He followed her inside.

-At the Corner -

Sarah wanted to throw up in the bushes. Emily broke down into tears. And Lucky, he turned on his heel and walked back to the car... he needed to sit down and let it all sink in. Elizabeth Webber was pregnant with AJ Quartermaine's baby.


	16. Step 16

Step 16

-Harper Women's Clinic-

Elizabeth stared at the pamphlets in her hand as she waited for them to call her name. Pamphlets of every shape and size. Pamphlets talking about options. Pamphlets talking about adoption. Pamphlets talking about... everything else.

She didn't open any of them. She couldn't. She could barely breathe.

AJ reached out and touched her leg, transferring some of his own warmth to her. "You okay?"

She couldn't seem to say anything.

"Number 25..."

AJ took the number that the receptionist gave them and helped Elizabeth to her feet. "You ready?"

She shook her head. "No... but I need to know."

-At the Corner -

Sarah wanted to throttle her sister. Sarah wanted to toss Emily into the bush nearby. AND Sarah wanted to scream... out loud... scream every horrible four letter word she knew. "This can't be happening. It just can't."

"You're telling me," Emily sniffled. "Everyone at school is going to freak!"

"Forget school," Sarah bit back, "my parents are going to go nuts and they're going to haul me off into the Bush with them! This is just WRONG!"

Grabbing Emily's arm she propelled her toward Lucky's car and both of them came to a stop beside it. "We need to go."

Lucky looked up at her. "We should go and see if Elizabeth needs something."

"Needs something?" Sarah's eyes flashed her anger. "My sister is having her 'needs' seen to by AJ Quartermaine!" She glared at Emily when the girl began to sob again. "How did they ever meet in the first place?"

Emily saw the expectant look in Sarah's eyes. "It wasn't me ... that's for sure!" She sobbed. "After everything you told me... there's no way I'd introduce her to either of my brothers!"

"We need to go somewhere and talk."

Lucky shook his head. "Nothing to talk about, Sarah... this isn't really any of our business. Think of what Elizabeth is going through."

Sarah stared at him. "I just don't understand it... I just don't understand what guys see in her!"

-Harper Women's Clinic-

The nurse entered the room and gave Elizabeth a smile. "Just to remind you what Connie said when she showed you in here," she began, "I'm going to draw some blood and we'll run the tests tonight. We'll have the results in the morning." She laid out the needle and vial on the metal tray. "Can you come back in the morning?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "I've got to go to school tomorrow."

The nurse nodded, sage understanding in her eyes. She turned to look at AJ and her gaze narrowed a bit. He met her eyes with a steady gaze. "Well, you can call in. Just give them the file number on this slip." She handed Elizabeth the paper. "They'll be able to give you the results that way."

With practiced ease she fixed the strap around Elizabeth's arm and found a good vein near her elbow. When the needle slid under her skin she barely flinched. AJ's fingers squeezed around hers as he leaned closer.

The vial was drawn in no time and the nurse removed the strap and then the needle, setting the vial on the tray. "If the result is positive," she continued on, "you are welcome to come back in and discuss your options with our counselors." She turned back to AJ. "Either way, I hope you have a lot of support."

Elizabeth looked up and saw the expression on her face. "He's not... it's not... he's my friend."

"Oh," the nurse's demeanor lightened considerably, "that's good to know." She picked up the tray. "We're all done here... get some rest, sweetheart. You'll find out the result tomorrow. Until then... try to relax."

AJ wanted to scoff at the idea. Neither one of them was going to get any rest that night.

As they walked out together, Elizabeth looked up at him with true fear in her eyes. "Do you mind if we go back to your house for a little bit... Sarah's been picking at me... she's close to figuring out what's wrong... and I just can't talk to her right now."

"Hey... hey..." AJ held the door open for her, "you don't have to explain... we'll go back to my place... we just," he winced visibly, "we just can't use the couch."

"Really?" She heard the odd tone of his voice and saw his nearly comical expression. "Why not? Did you spill something on it?"

He wouldn't answer as they walked back to his car.

- PCPD-

Taggart picked up his folders and began to put them away in his desk before he went home. Most of them slid easily into the partition of his desk, but one was a bit too wide. Opening the folder he looked through the pictures and other paperwork within. Looking up at Capelli at the other desk he questioned him. "Did someone go through this folder?"

Capelli waved off the question. "Paranoid much?" He scoffed at the idea. "When you ran out of here earlier you knocked the files to the ground. I picked them up and put them back in the folder... you don't want everyone looking at those... did you?"

"No... no," Taggart settled the photos on the top of the lab reports, "thanks... just don't... I'm keeping this one quiet since she doesn't want her family to know."

Capelli's eyebrows raised in shock. "So, she's all alone in this, huh?"

Taggart locked his file cabinet and gave Capelli a hard look. "No... she's not." He picked up his car keys. "You done?"

Shaking his head, Capelli sighed. "Nope... got a double shift... picking up as much work as they'll give me. I need the money."

"Sucks to be you." Taggart gave him a mock salute and walked out the door.

-Quartermaine Gate House-

AJ opened the door and turned around to take a shopping bag from Elizabeth's arms. She managed the other one as she walked past him and into the main room. "Wow."

"It's okay..."

Elizabeth walked around the room and looked out the bank of windows on the side. "It's more than OK. It's huge!"

He wanted to argue but it wasn't worth it. He just wanted to distract her from any thoughts of the pregnancy test. "I haven't really been in the kitchen yet," he admitted, "but I'm sure everything's in working order."

She shrugged. "No worries for me," she smiled, "you said you're cooking."

He nodded toward the door to the kitchen and she followed him in. "That's right, I'm going to hope that you don't mind the same thing that I made the 'last' time I cooked," he sighed, "my repertoire is a little limited."

Giggling, Elizabeth smiled up at him. "The fact that you even use the word 'repertoire' makes it all the more fancy!"

"You're pretty easy to impress."

She set the bag down on the counter next to his. "The fact that you're making an effort for me... it's pretty special."

AJ leaned on the counter and lightly touched her hand. "It's worth it to see you smile."

-Hardy House-

Sarah stepped inside and saw the flashing light on the answering machine. She left Lucky and Emily standing in the doorway as she crossed the room.

"Hello? Sarah? Elizabeth? Both of you girls should be home by now... *sigh* anyway, I'm needed at work for a few more hours... so you girls be careful until I can get home... make yourselves something to eat... and when I get home we're going to talk about how neither of you was home when I called."

The message ended and Sarah tossed her bag down one the table. "I should call her and tell her what's going on."

"No!" Emily shook her head. "She'll tell my parents... and this is all going to blow up in our faces."

"In case you didn't notice, Emily," Sarah all but sneered at her, "this is already blowing up in our faces!"

Emily's temper flared and she narrowed her eyes at Sarah. "Well... that's what we get for spending time with the Hardys."

"Do you think she's going to keep the baby?" Lucky left the door open as he flopped down on the sofa. "She's really young to be a mother."

"Then maybe," Emily scoffed, "she should have thought about that before she had sex with my brother!"

"Maybe," Sarah bit back, "it was your brother that couldn't keep his hands off of my sister!"

Lucky groaned and placed his head in his hands. "I can't believe this is happening."

-Quartermaine Gate House-

The movie sucked. That was AJ's honest assessment of the chick flick that Elizabeth had wanted to watch on Tv but he sat there and tried to follow the storyline, but nearly halfway through he turned to ask her a question about something and stopped short.

Elizabeth Webber was sound asleep... in his bed.

He'd refused to let he sit on the sofa. Even with a couple of the dust covers layered on the cushions AJ didn't want to worry that she might catch something from that girl that Jason had brought over with him. So instead of curling up on the sofa they'd piled all the extra pillows from the linen closet on the bed and they'd watched TV in the bedroom.

Now, as he gazed down at her, her lips slightly parted, her hands curled up against her cheek, he realized that he was really tired... too tired to understand that he shouldn't close his own eyes... that he shouldn't slide down the head board and wrap his arms around her... that he shouldn't tug her closer until her head was on his shoulder and her breath warm against his chest.

He shouldn't... but he did.

Elizabeth was sound asleep for the first time since the Valentine's Dance. She drew in breath after perfect breath as the dragons that tormented her in her sleep were finally held at bay. Elizabeth had a vague idea of how close she was to AJ... how warm he felt beneath her cheek... how gentle his hands were as she rubbed up and down her back.

She slept on in the comforting circle of AJ's arms.

-Hardy House-

Sarah came awake with a start when the phone rang on her bedside table. She barely had the presence of mind to pick the phone up from the base and turn it on. "Hello?"

"Oh, good," her grams sighed, "I'm sorry to wake you dear, but there was an eight car pile up on the interstate and we just finished the last of the emergency surgeries. Did you and Elizabeth manage to cook something for dinner?"

Sarah cracked an eye open and stared at the clock. "Grams.. it's past midnight... are you still at GH?"

"Yes... well, accidents are just that, dear, accidents... and I'm on my way home, but I wanted to check on you girls. How was Elizabeth?"

Fear gripped Sarah as she slung her legs over the edge of the bed. "Um... let me go check."

She padded toward the door, her mind screaming with worry. She'd fallen asleep waiting up for Elizabeth. She swung her sister's door open and stared in disbelief. "She's not here, Grams..." Sarah swallowed hard, "her bed is empty!"

"It's what?" Audrey went from tired to panicked in a heartbeat. "Where could she be?"

"I think she might..." Sarah couldn't seem to get the words out... but she knew it was too late now, "I think she might be with AJ."

"Really now? Get dressed, Sarah. I'll be there to pick you up in a few minutes and we're going to bring your sister home." Audrey slammed the phone down and Sarah leaned against the wall, staring at her sister's empty bed.


	17. Step 17

Step 17

-Quartermaine Gate House-

AJ woke up with a start, the sweet smell of some kind of fruity shampoo just beneath his nose. He lifted his hand and combed Elizabeth's riotous curls with his fingers. The touch of her hair was addictive... soft and silky. He looked toward the window and saw a flash of headlights outside. His eyes turned to the clock.

2:00 am

Scrubbing his hand over his face, AJ slipped off the edge of the bed and moved into the living room, shutting the door behind him. He should, he knew, get Elizabeth up and take her home... she might be able to sneak in without her grandmother noticing. After all, he thought, she hadn't called him to demand her granddaughter back... so maybe she didn't-

A loud series of bangs echoed through the room, someone was pounding on the front door. "AJ!" His father's voice grated on his nerves. "Open up!"

There was no hiding. Not now. AJ crossed to the door and opened it. Before he could say a word the room was filled with people pushing past him, the last person stopped in the doorway and gave him a big ol' grin. "Well, if it isn't the Quartermaine resident screw up."

"Detective Capelli," AJ could feel his molars gnashing together, "what are you doing here?"

"Well," the detective began, "Mrs. Hardy seems to think you've got her granddaughter holed up in your bed... part of me hopes you do," he continued, "I even brought my favorite pair of cuffs."

AJ was sure that he was trapped in a horrible nightmare. His parents, Mrs. Hardy, Elizabeth's sister, and even Reginald were there along with the detective. "Mrs. Hardy, I'm sure you're worried, but Elizabeth is fine."

"Fine?" The older woman had more than enough volume in her lungs to make him wince. "I'll tell you what's fine! Fine is returning home after a long double-shift to find that your granddaughter has run off in the night with an older man!" The way she made it sound, AJ realized, he was one foot in the grave and drooling over her granddaughter. The way she said it made him feel dirty.

"Elizabeth didn't run off," he tried again, deciding that while he couldn't reveal her secret, he could just answer truthfully to questions about 'himself, "I picked her up after school and-"

"Dear God, AJ!" Monica covered her mouth with her hands. "She is here... isn't she?" Monica backed up a few steps toward the bedroom door and swung it open.

Audrey pushed past Monica and stopped short just inside. "Elizabeth!" She saw her younger granddaughter curled up on AJ's bed. "What has he done to you?" She ran to the bed and shook Elizabeth. "Sweetheart, wake up. Elizabeth? Wake up!" The combination of motion and sound opened Elizabeth's eyes.

"Grams!" Elizabeth's gaze turned to the doorway and she saw Monica staring in. "Oh, Mrs. Quartermaine!"

"Elizabeth, come," Audrey tugged at Elizabeth's arm and got her out of bed and on her feet.

When they reached the door, Monica glared at them, turning most of her disdain on Audrey. "I doubt my son had to drag her here, Audrey, before you start assigning blame, you should look at your granddaughter and wonder what it is she wants from my son."

"Mother!" AJ's sharp look did little to stop Monica's anger. "Leave Elizabeth alone."

"And you," Monica turned on AJ, "defending her when you know better than to bring her here... I told you that she wasn't welcome-"

"At the mansion, Mom... you said she wasn't welcome in the house and-"

"Don't split hairs, AJ," Alan added, "we're not in the mood."

"And my granddaughter is the victim here," Audrey continued on, "an older man should know better than to spirit a young woman off to his-"

"Grams, please." Elizabeth tried to calm her down. "Please let me explain." She tried to step back away from her grandmother and ended up knocking over the trash can beside the door. The cylinder fell over and out spilled the empty beer cans from Jason's visit.

Monica gasped into her hand as she turned a horrified look on her son. "AJ! "

Alan shook his head. "I thought you'd moved past this, son."

AJ wanted to beat his head against the wall and explain, but he could tell by the anguish in his parents' expressions that they had already reached the same conclusion... that he was drinking again. He didn't want to argue... it wouldn't do any good... and Elizabeth... he watched the quickening rise and fall of her chest as she struggled to breathe. "This isn't about me."

"I disagree!" Audrey's eyes were piercing. "This is all about you... you and your 'relationship' with my granddaughter."

"Please, Grams... AJ's a friend."

Audrey took Elizabeth by the shoulders. "Dear, he may say that... but men like AJ want only one thing and they are used to getting what they want."

"What would he want from me?" Elizabeth's confusion was lost in her ever rising panic.

"I know you're stupid, Lizzie," her sister scoffed, "but are you really that clueless?"

The room was swimming in light as Elizabeth struggled to look at her sister. "No... yes... I'm not sure."

"Leave her alone." AJ started to move toward her but Capelli stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"You stay right where you are."

The hard look in the detective's eyes was only a mild deterrent to AJ, he was more concerned with keeping Elizabeth calm in the middle of the nut house. "Just breathe, Elizabeth."

Audrey turned to block Elizabeth from seeing AJ. "I just want to know why you're here... with him of all people."

"Yes, Elizabeth," Sarah snapped at her sister. "Explain why you're here with your boyfriend!" Sarah enjoyed the sudden attention, she had become so tired of the drama surrounding Elizabeth... it was nauseating. "And while you're at it... explain why you were at the Women's Clinic with AJ after school... walking in hand in hand..." Sarah leaned closer to her sister... her eyes snapping with anger. "You're pregnant, aren't you?"

Elizabeth pressed a hand over her heart and struggled to remain upright was the room burst into a number of different arguments at the same time.

Alan tried to come up with other reasons they'd be at the clinic, Monica gaped at AJ with clear disapproval in her eyes, and Audrey sucked in breath after breath as she raged about what she was going to tell Elizabeth's parents.

Capelli's grin widened as he reached into his pocket for his cuffs. "I hit the jackpot, eh, Quartermaine? Diddling an underage girl is a Class E felony... that makes my quota for the month... I should thank you."

AJ struggled when the detective grabbed his arm, he was trying to reach Elizabeth's side. Her eyes seemed to look right through him. He turned to his mother. "Mom... please... just listen to me, Elizabeth-"

"Elizabeth," she ground out between her teeth, "is just another mistake, AJ... it's the booze talking."

Audrey grabbed Elizabeth's arm and turned her around to face her. Elizabeth stumbled as the pain from the bruises on her arm staggered her. She clutched at her grandmother's arm trying to get her to release the pressure, but Audrey was having none of it. "Your grandfather would be so disappointed in you, Lizzie."

"But... but, I-"

"I'm taking AJ down to the station for questioning." Capelli couldn't help the snide tone of his voice when he turned to the doctors Quartermaine. "You'll want to get a pregnancy test done at GH... you never know who the father is with things like this."

"Elizabeth?" AJ struggled to get closer. "Elizabeth... breathe."

"Come on, Romeo." Capelli jerked him toward the door and AJ caught Reginald's eyes.

The man had seen more than his share of family drama but there wasn't condemnation in Reginald's eyes... there was only concern. He gave AJ a nod and disappeared out the door just before Capelli dragged AJ out into the wee hours of the morning.

"I should have known something like this was going to happen," Monica sighed, gesturing at Audrey and Elizabeth, "if only their parents took more of a role in their lives," she snapped, "things like this-"

"Really, Monica?" Audrey's eyes sparkled with anger. "And what about AJ... he's your child and swimming in alcohol by the looks of those cans. Having two parents around hasn't done him much good."

Monica's silence was more outrage than anything else.

Elizabeth tried to reassure her. "He wasn't drinking, I promise-"

"You'll forgive me," Monica's voice was as cold as ice, "if I don't believe you, Elizabeth."

"What we do need from you," Alan joined in, "are some straight answers about this... 'situation' ... but I'll settle for a pregnancy test... and then later... a paternity test."

Elizabeth was chilled as though she were standing in a freezer, her fingers were tingling. "Please, you have to understand-"

"Everyone... just everyone is going to be talking about this," Sarah folded her arms and glared at her sister, "if you were going to screw him... why couldn't you just use a condom like the rest of-" Sarah saw the look her grandmother turned on her and shut up.

"What... what's going to happen to AJ?" Elizabeth looked at her grandmother. "He didn't do anything... you have to believe me."

"I don't see how you can ask that, Elizabeth," her grandmother started to move to the door, nearly dragging Elizabeth with her. "I don't know how I'll ever be able to believe you ever again."

Elizabeth's vision blurred as she struggled to take in any air at all. "Please..."

"And you won't have to worry about your boyfriend," the corner of Sarah's mouth curled up almost in a snarl, "he'll be behind bars thanks to you."

The world came crashing down on Elizabeth and even with Audrey's hand firmly wrapped around her arm, Elizabeth collapsed in a dead faint.


	18. Step 18

**Thanks to the reviewers... I truly enjoy reading your comments... yes, I am evil... it is a well established fact... but I'm glad you enjoy the stories anyway... I really love reading your 'take' on the chapters and plot points... the characters and situations... I hope you'll all continue to read and review... and not hate me too much for this :D**

Step 18

- PCPD -

There was no use in complaining. He knew enough about Capelli from his earlier run-ins with the PCPD to know that if he complained... Capelli was only going to get worse. When the detective unhooked his cuff and wrenched his arm toward the desk in the interrogation room AJ just gnashed his teeth together and tried to ignore the pain in his wrist that shot up his arm. He didn't object when Capelli recuffed his wrist, he even sat down in the chair as soon as he could reach it and just waited.

Capelli pulled out the chair on the opposite side of the desk and eased down on the seat. "Well now... it's just the two of us."

AJ watched the man... carefully.

The detective soon tired of the silence from the other side of the table. "I can't say I'm surprised. A drunk like you? I'm not surprised."

AJ shifted his feet beneath the table.

"Not going to say anything, boy?"

Blowing out a breath, AJ looked at the detective. "I want my lawyer."

- General Hospital Private Room -

As Elizabeth became aware of her surroundings, she realized that there was one thing to be grateful for... when you were suspected of carrying the Quartermaine heir... you get a private room in the hospital. She wasn't in the ER, she knew that much. There were no sliding curtains and screaming patients. No, she was in a private room complete with beeping monitors and her very own watchdog at the door.

"How are you feeling, dear?"

Elizabeth turned her head toward the voice and blinked over and over again as she tried to focus on the woman seated beside her bed. She knew Lila Quartermaine on sight. You had to be dead in Port Charles NOT to know who she was. Her snow white hair was swept up in an elegant bun at the crown of her head and her face was lit by a soft smile. "Where..." Elizabeth tried to swallow the knot in her throat, "where is AJ?"

Lila smiled brighter and leaned back in her wheelchair. "How sweet of you to ask, my dear." She turned to gesture to the man at the door. "Reginald called Justus Ward and asked him to meet AJ down at the PCPD. Justus will watch over AJ, don't you worry."

Elizabeth's tears were only part relief... she was very worried about AJ. "He's in trouble because of me, Mrs. Quartermaine... he doesn't deserve it... I swear he doesn't!"

"There... there..." Lila gave Elizabeth's hand a gentle pat, "you need to calm yourself before you faint dead away like you did at the gate house."

"Oh," Elizabeth looked at the IV in her arm, "is that what happened?"

Lila smoothed her hand along Elizabeth's forearm. "You were dehydrated when you arrived. You haven't been taking good care of yourself, Elizabeth... you need to be more careful."

She nodded. "They didn't understand," she added, "they thought AJ had... that we'd... oh this is just horrible!" Elizabeth reached out her hand to Lila and the older woman took it with a gentle squeeze. "I need to talk to my grams... and AJ's parents... please, Mrs. Quartermaine, I need them to understand... not for me..." she gasped and shuddered as she though through her words, "they need to understand how wonderful he's been... what a great friend he's been."

"Dear me," Lila began, "it sounds like he has a great friend in you as well."

Elizabeth nodded. "If he ever needed me... for anything... I'd be there."

Lila clapped her hands together and smiled. "Splendid!"

-PCPD-

Capelli scooted his chair closer to the table. "Come on... you can tell me..."

AJ shook his head.

"You're a guy like me..."

"I'm nothing like you." AJ clamped his lips together when he say Capelli's face flush with anger.

"We've all thought about it."

Something deep in AJ's middle turned. He didn't say a word, but his eyes showed his confusion.

- General Hospital Hallway -

Reginald stepped outside and looked at the assemble group of people. Everyone that had squeezed into the Gate House had now extended to Edward as well. The promise of a Quartermaine heir, no matter how spotty its conception, was worthy of his notice. He cleared his throat and caught their attention. "Mrs. Quartermaine and Elizabeth are ready to see all of you, however-" he held up a hand that stopped them all in their tracks, "Mrs. Quartermaine has one rule... that you'll allow Elizabeth to explain everything without interruption. All of you will follow the rule or you'll be removed from the room and not allowed back in... ever."

Edward narrowed his eyes at the younger man. "Really? You're not that big of a man, Reginald... what makes you can think I'll be removed by the likes of you?"

"That's because I'll be doin' the removing!" Alice stepped up beside the door. "Mrs. Q's orders."

"Well, okay then," Alan straightened his tie and motioned for Audrey and Monica to precede him into the room, "let's all see what Elizabeth has to say."

-PCPD Interrogation Room-

"We've all thought about it."

Something deep in AJ's middle turned. He didn't say a word, but his eyes showed his confusion.

"I just want to know what it was like..."

AJ swallowed trying to muster up something to ease the dry rasp of his tongue.

"I bet you can wrap your hands around her waist... lift her up against the wall." Capelli squeaked his chair closer and he spread his hands flat on the table top. "I bet she's real flexible too..."

Shutting his eyes and reciting every inane fact he'd ever learned about the stock market did nothing to blot out the words that slid of Capelli's tongue and slimed up the room.

"Did she talk... or just moan..."

"Shut up, Capelli." AJ felt his chest tighten as his heart thundered in his chest. "Don't you dare-"

"I ain't got nothing on you, boy... you're the one shackin' up with the little girl right there under your parents' noses... that takes some big brass ones."

"Stop it."

"No... I'm curious... and you're just about ready to talk... I can see it."

"I'm just about ready to knock you out, Capelli." AJ tugged at the cuffs and felt the hard bite of metal into his skin but he didn't care. "You stop talking about her, damnit!"

"How does she like it?" Capelli's mouth curved up in one corner. "Slow... or hard and wild?"

AJ shook his head, growling deep in his throat as he began to stand, the pain in his wrists nothing compared to the blind rage coursing through his veins.

"Does she like you up on top or does she like to-"

Up on his feet, AJ shoved the table a couple of feet, knocking Capelli and his chair down to the floor. AJ roared at the detective. "Shut your damn mouth, Capelli!" He tugged at the cuffs, desperate to free himself. "Shut your mouth or I'll do it for you!"

He was barely aware of the officers that swept into the room and grabbed a hold of him and pushed him down into his seat.

Capelli glared up at AJ and reached for his side arm.

"Somehow, Detective Capelli, I don't think that's a good idea." Justus Ward was suddenly filling the doorway. His smile seemed to indicate he didn't mind the sight of the detective on the floor. "Shooting my unarmed and shackled client," he indicated AJ with a simple gesture, "would be grounds for a lawsuit the likes of which you have never seen before... and would never see ever again."

The two that had pushed AJ back in his chair stepped outside.

Justus looked at Capelli with an expectant stare. "I'd like to talk to me client... alone."

Capelli got back on his feet and skirted around the table on the opposite side of the room from Justus. Leaning down he whispered into AJ's ear. "You're gonna regret this, boy... mark my words."

Before Justus could object, Capelli was gone and AJ let out a long pent up breath.

"Thank God you're here, Justus."

The attorney set down his briefcase. "Just what have you gotten yourself into, AJ?"

- General Hospital Private Room -

Elizabeth felt as though the walls were closing in on her before. Now, with everyone packed into her hospital room, she was sure there was a significant lack of oxygen in the room. Even as panic began to rise up and rob her of air, Lila gave her hand a gentle pat. "Just breathe, dear."

Nodding, Elizabeth forced in a breath. "If it was up to me," she began, "I would never tell any of you this... but it's not about me... it's about AJ and I can't allow everyone to think that he's anything less than wonderful."

"Really, Elizabeth-"

Lila held up her hand. "Audrey, dear... please."

It took some doing, but Audrey closed her lips, pinching them tightly together.

"I asked Lucky to the Valentine's dance," she explained, "but right before the dance he said he was going to meet Sarah at the dance." She looked at her grandmother. "You were so sweet to help me pick out a dress and shoes... and everything.. and I just couldn't tell you that my date... was taking someone else."

Sarah was genuinely confused. "I never knew-"

"Sh.." Reginald reminded the young woman.

"So I got all dressed up and went out... I tried to go to the dance.. I really did... but I just couldn't show up to a Valentine's Dance alone... that would have been so lame." She took in a long breath. "So I went walking and ended up in the park, thinking I could just wait there and then go home."

The monitor beside the bed began to beep... faster.

"I was sitting there on this bench... just waiting for time to pass and then," Elizabeth's eyes shone with tears as she clung to Lila's hands, "someone grabbed me from behind-"

Monica gasped. "I won't listen to these lies," she began, "my son-"

"It wasn't AJ!" Elizabeth's voice was full of anger. "He wasn't the man that dragged me off into the bushes... he wasn't the man that bruised me and... hurt me... in a way that I'll never be whole ever again... AJ was the man that found me in the snow... found me and picked me up... and took me to the hospital even when I told him I didn't want to." She raised her eyes to her Grams, Monica, and then Alan. "AJ has been my rock... and my comfort... and all he's had because of it... was pain and suffering. You should be so proud of him," she sobbed, "because he's the one person in the whole world who reminds me that I can make it through this... that there will come a day when someone will grab my arm and I won't fall to pieces and freak out. So please," she looked at her Grams, "believe me, Grams... AJ hasn't hurt me... he hasn't touched me the way you folks think he has... you've hurt him so badly because you didn't believe the best in him... only the worst."

"There, there..." Lila cooed to the young girl and opened her arms to cradle her in an embrace, "such a brave young woman." She looked up at Audrey. "You should be so very proud of her, Audrey... she's quite a special young woman."

Audrey could barely think straight. Her youngest granddaughter had just told a roomful of people that she'd been raped... all because they'd jumped to every wrong conclusion as a gut instinct. Elizabeth had to bare her soul to people who were almost strangers because they hadn't bothered to 'ask' her before they assumed the worst. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth," she swiped at tears, "I'm so very sorry for assuming... I, ah," she shook herself to clear her head, "I should call the police station and tell them to let AJ go." She turned to Monica and Alan, her eyes a little down-cast. "I just want to say-"

"Excuse me, Doctor Quartermaine?" The lab tech handed the paper in his hand to Monica. "Here are the test results."

Monica thanked him in a mumble of words and she avoided looking at the paper in her hands. Holding in her shaking hand she moved toward the bed and held it out to Elizabeth. "Here... you should read this first."

Elizabeth nodded and took hold of the paper. Lifting it before her eyes she read the results twice before she truly realized what it said. She spared one look at her grandmother's contrite expression before Elizabeth dissolved into tears.


	19. Step 19

Step 19

-PCPD-

Detective Taggart was not an early riser. That was an undisputed fact. Getting him up in the wee hours of the morning made him only more apt to bite someone's head off. So getting a call from Justus Ward set him off in a heartbeat, but what got him out of bed and throwing on clothes was the knowledge that AJ Quartermaine was in jail for having sex with Elizabeth Webber.

When he slapped the door open he glared at Capelli. "What the f-"

"Hey," the other detective held up his hand in surrender, "I was just doing my job. Mrs. Hardy calls in... saying her granddaughter's shacked up with the ass... what the hell am I supposed to do? She's underage and he's a douche for doin' her!"

Something crawled up a nerve but Taggart's mind was already tackling his own problems. "He's not goint to do that her."

"Right... like you know." Capelli scoffed. "He's young... she's hot... hell, I'm surprised he's sober enough to get it up, but of course he'd go for that little piece ofa-"

"Shut it, Capelli, before I forget you wear a badge!"

-General Hospital Private Room-

Elizabeth released the paper to Audrey as the young woman embraced Lila. "Oh thank God!"

Audrey and Monica read it together as they leaned on each other. There was so much they were still struggling to understand. The test was the one thing that was easy.

Elizabeth was not pregnant.

Handing the paper back to Monica she excused herself to call the police station.

Monica approached the bed quietly. "Elizabeth?"

Slowly, the young woman lifted up her head from Lila's shoulders. "Yes, Mrs. Quartermaine?"

"I want to apologize for everything... we just didn't know."

Elizabeth shook her head. "You need to tell AJ," she insisted, "he's the one who needs an apology... especially from me for dragging him into all of this." She took Lila's offered hand and welcomed the warmth and affection she found from the simple touch. "Those cans... the beer? They weren't his." She looked at Monica. "His brother Jason picked the lock and brought his girlfriend over. AJ said that's why we couldn't watch TV on the couch... I guess they spilled beer on it, or something."

Monica shared a look with Lila over Elizabeth's head. "I need to let Alan know..." The rest of what she said was impossible to hear, but it didn't matter.

-PCPD-

Justus Ward actually smiled at Detective Taggart. "Nice to see you so early in the morning."

"I wish I could say the same to you," Taggart shut the interrogation room door behind him, "but the person that calls me before dawn is going to end up on my sh*t list no matter what so just sit there and earn your billable hours."

He crossed over the AJ and shook his head. "Boy, you been getting yourself into trouble again."

"This one," sighed AJ, "wasn't me... but hey, I'm used to it."

"But what he isn't used to is Capelli making comments about-"

"Justus, never mind."

Taggart looked between the two. "What's going on?"

Justus' look was clear. 'You or Me.'

AJ shrugged. "He wouldn't stop talking to me... asking me questions ever after I told him I wanted my lawyer."

Taggert put his hands on his hips. "I probably would have done-"

"He wanted to know," AJ's expression soured, "what it was like... having sex with Elizabeth."

The room went cold.

"He wanted to know how she 'liked it.'" AJ turned his head. "I told him to stop talking about it... about her, but he wouldn't... that's when I shoved the table and knocked him down."

Taggart slapped his hand over his eyes. "That ass..." he dropped his hand, "he just doesn't know when to stop." He looked down at AJ and stared at his wrists. "Damnit, AJ... when did that happen?"

AJ looked down at his wrists and stared. "I didn't really feel that til now... thanks, Detective Taggart."

Justus' reaction was immediate. "Those damn button down shirts... we need him out of these cuffs and get him to GH."

AJ watched Taggart fish handcuff keys from his pocket. "I don't need to go to the hospital, I just want to see Elizabeth... she's got to be freaked out."

"Well," Justus snapped his briefcase closed, "if you want to see Elizabeth Webber, you can still go to GH. She's there."

AJ's expression darkened. "Why?" The muscles in his heart tightened up. "What happened?"

Justus leaned closer to his client. "Lila's with her."

The comment both added to AJ's concern as well as eased it in some ways. "I want out of here, now."

Justus and Taggart shared a look. Taggart nodded. "I know the charges are ridiculous, get him out of here... I'll take care of the rest."

AJ tried not to look at his wrists as he stood up, the pain eased when he wasn't staring at the scraped and swollen skin. The truth of it was that there was a pain in his right wrist that felt like a break. Ignoring it made the pain ease up, especially when he focused on Elizabeth.

Justus held the door open and they stepped out into the squad room. AJ stopped short a few feet out. Jason was sitting at one of the desks, a foot propped up on a trash can as the uniformed officer took down his information.

AJ shared a look with his brother and Jason shrugged. Apparently this wasn't out of the ordinary for his brother. Sitting on a neighboring desk was Jason's girl, Carly. She gave AJ a big smile as she pushed her shoulders back. "Hey, big brother."

The uniformed officer stood and gestured toward the holding cells. Jason walked off without any prompting, he knew where he was going.

Taggart stepped up beside AJ. "I'll have them bring your things up from the property clerk."

AJ stood beside Taggart's desk and tried to be patient.

Sidling up to him, Carly tilted her head to smile at AJ, her hand lifting up to play with the gold chain around her neck. "What are you in for?" Carly's attempt to sound sexy came out more like an asthma attack. "I've always heard that brothers are alike in so many ways." Leaning closer to him she gave him a catlike smile. "I'd love to compare."

AJ smelled the cheap vodka on her breath and instead of making him want some, it turned his stomach. Turning to a passing officer, he asked them to tell Taggart that "I'll come and get my things later, I just want to get out of here?"

Justus lead the way out of the station.

-General Hospital-

Emily knew her way around the hospital better than Lucky did. She practically dragged him down one hall and other, stopping short only when she saw Sarah in the hallway. "What happened?"

Sarah couldn't seem to say anything at the moment.

That wasn't enough for Emily. "I wake up and cook tells me that AJ's been arrested and Elizabeth's in the hospital? They can't think he'd hurt her! AJ's not like that!" She glared at Sarah. "Tell me what's going on!"

Monica stepped into the hallway and was very surprised to see her daughter there. "Emily... please keep your voice down."

"But... but," she gasped for air and struggled to control herself, "cook told me that AJ was arrested and... what are you doing here? Why aren't you with AJ?" She turned back to Sarah. "What does your whore of a sister have to do with this?"

"Emily!" Monica's tone was sharp and disapproving. "I don't want you to say that about Elizabeth Webber... not now.. not ever again!" With that edict, Monica continued on looking for Alan."

Emily was seething as she stared at Sarah. "What happened?"

"Elizabeth told us," she sighed, "she explained why she thought she was pregnant." Sarah looked at Lucky, "the night of the Valentine's Dance she didn't come to the dance because she knew we were there together... she was in the park. She was waiting before she went home so Grams wouldn't know that she wasn't at the dance." Sarah fought down the bile in her throat. "She was raped that night... in the snow."

Lucky's expression turned from confusion to rage. "AJ Quartermaine!" He turned on Emily. "I'll kill him!"

"No!" Sarah grabbed his arm. "AJ didn't do it... he's the one that found her." She swallowed again. "He's the one who took her to the hospital and got her help."

"But we thought..." Emily felt horrible. "All those horrible things we thought..." She felt dizzy and ran for the bathroom.

Lucky and Sarah were left in the hallway alone. "She was raped." The words weighed on Lucky's tongue as well as on his conscience. "I was supposed to meet her at the dance."

"That's all in the past, Lucky-"

"But then you... and I... we said we'd meet there too."

"You were so sweet," Sarah tried to smile, "after my breakup with Nikolas... you knew I needed a friend-"

"And I told her..." he pressed his hand to his stomach, "I knew something was wrong when I talked to her... but you were so pretty... I couldn't think of anything else." His expression turned green. "I kept thinking about you... when I should have known how much I was hurting her." He looked up at Sarah. "I'm not going to make that mistake again."

Sarah tightened her hold on his arm. "Lucky... it wasn't our fault," she reasoned, "we didn't know what was going to happen!"

He shrugged her off. "We didn't know... but we created the situation... and I should have... I didn't, but that doesn't mean I can't do something now." Turning his back on her, Lucky walked down the hall.

-Elizabeth's Room-

Elizabeth looked up when she heard the knock on the door frame. "Lucky?" Elizabeth grabbed the edge of her blanket and pulled it up higher. "What are you doing here?"

"I... uh... I just heard."

Paling, Elizabeth swallowed. "Heard what?"

Lucky looked down the hall and then back at Elizabeth. "Your sister told me about the night... in the park... and I-"

"She had no right!" Elizabeth gasped in a breath. "That wasn't for her to tell anyone!" Elizabeth felt LIla's reassuring touch on her arm, but she couldn't think. "Why did she say that?"

"Elizabeth," Lucky moved closer, slowly, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry... If I'd known... the dance... I would have-"

"What?" She gasped again, aware that her voice was shrill. "If you'd known that I was going to be raped you would have taken me to the dance after all?" She shook her head. "Please... just... I can't... Lucky... please leave."

"Elizabeth-"

"Please just leave me alone!"

"Elizabeth!" AJ stopped short in the doorway. "What happened?" He saw Lucky Spencer standing near Elizabeth's bed. "What are you doing here?"

Elizabeth held out her hand to AJ and he crossed the room to take it. She cried out when she saw the bandage on his wrist and when she looked at the other she saw a splint. "What happened?"

AJ's expression eased. "That's my question." He gave her a smile and squeezed her hand. "And you still haven't answered me."

Elizabeth took in a long deep breath as she focused on AJ's face. "I told them... my grams... your parents... they all know that you didn't touch me."

He felt her pain as surely as if it was his own. "You didn't have to tell them, Elizabeth."

"I did," she insisted, "they thought the most horrible things about you... and I couldn't let them... I had to tell them how amazing you've been... they needed to know. And," she let out another breath, "they did a test here so we didn't have to wait for the morning."

AJ saw the light in her eyes and he let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. "Thank God."

Lila noticed the other young man slipping out of the room and smiled. She didn't mind the Spencer boy but he wasn't needed in the room.

AJ gave his grandmother a smile. "You look lovely this morning, grandmother."

"Silver tongued devil," she gave him a grin before she turned to Elizabeth, "just like his grandfather, this one."

AJ's mock look of hurt had both women smiling. "I was only telling the truth!"

"AJ," Elizabeth tugged him closer, "your grandmother held my hand the whole time I talked to them... she even had Reginald tell people that if they didn't let me talk he'd have Alice remove them from the room."

"I was hoping," Lila confessed, "that someone would... I haven't seen Alice wrestle in far too long."

He leaned over the bed and gave his grandmother a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you for helping, Elizabeth."

"I was only too happy to help," she gave them both a sweet smile, "I'm quite fond of our Elizabeth."

Her cheeks coloring, Elizabeth wondered, "You barely know me, Mrs. Quartermaine, how-"

"My grandson cares for you a great deal, dear, and that speaks volumes to me!" She turned toward the door. "Reginald?"

The man was suddenly standing in the doorway.

"I'm quite ready to go home and sleep."

As Reginald crossed the room Elizabeth gave Lila a kiss and half a hug with the arm that wasn't holding AJ's hand. "Thank you again."

Lila returned the affectionate gesture. "Happy to help, my dear."

Reginald released the brakes on her wheelchair and began to move toward the door. She stopped him just inside and he swung her around to see them. "When Elizabeth is up to it... bring her to the house... we'll have tea in my rose garden."

Moments later they were gone, the door closed behind him.

Elizabeth yawned, moved over, and tugged at AJ's hand. "Sit down."

He gave her a grin that had her giggling. "Isn't this what got us into trouble in the first place?"

"No," she shook her head, "you got yourself into trouble when you decided to help me."

"Then I'm a glutton for punishment," he confided as she eased onto the bed beside her, trying not to jostle her or bend his wrists, "because I'd do it in an instant... all over again." He waited for her to say something, but only heard the silence surrounding them. Looking at her he discovered why. Elizabeth Webber was sound asleep, leaning on his shoulder.

Leaning his cheek against the top of her head, he fell asleep beside her.


	20. Step 20

Step 20

-Mercy Hospital -

Elizabeth was wiped. She was about to fall asleep on her feet, but somehow she made it to the door and thanked her doctor for listening to her ramble for an hour.

"You're more than welcome, Elizabeth," she gave the younger woman a smile and smoothed her hand down Elizabeth's arm. "You've made quite a bit of progress." She grimaced. "And I'm glad that your grandmother, at least, is trying."

"Grams... but I kind of wish Sarah and I could... anyway... next week?"

"Same day... same time," the doctor confirmed. "Isn't that the day you get your HIV test?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Yep... so looking forward to it... and hoping it never happens all at the same time."

The doctor pushed the door open and gave AJ a smile. "Looks like your ride is here."

AJ nodded at her. "Doctor... good to see you." He looked at Elizabeth. "How are you?"

"Moving forward." Elizabeth wasn't one to say she was fine or okay... with AJ she had learned to say that she was moving forward... because she was. Thanks to him.

- AJ's car-

Elizabeth leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes turning her face to the open window to feel the cooling air against her skin. "How are things with your parents?"

She felt AJ flinch even though they weren't touching. "They're trying."

Feeling a smile spreading across her lips she let her curiosity get the better of her. "Trying... trying? or TRYING trying?"

AJ's laughter was warm. "Take your pick."

"I guess a little bit of both..." she sighed and reached her hand out, closing it over AJ's hand without a spare glance, "I hope you'll get to the point where you can all sit in one room and not have to worry that someone's going to say something hurtful."

"You think we'll get there?" AJ's turned his hand over to lace their fingers together.

Elizabeth turned to look at him. "I think so... but I worry that with my family the only way that will happen is if I'm the only one in the room."

The shared a laugh as AJ pushed the gate remote. Slowly, he waited for the massive iron gates to swing open before he pulled his car through. By passing the Gate House, AJ drove right up to the front steps and parked. "If you're too tired or warn out from your session, I can ask grandmother for a raincheck."

"No way," Elizabeth grinned at him as she reached down for her purse, "having tea in your grandmother's rose garden? That's something I've only heard about in the society pages!"

"Society pages?" AJ swung his door open and stepped out. "Do you read the society pages?"

Elizabeth had already swung the door partially open when AJ took hold of the handle and tugged it open all the way. "It's like People Magazine," she explained, "when I have nothing better to do I may pick up the paper and read the society pages." She shook her head at his incredulous expression and swung an elbow at his ribs. "It's opposite the comics."

"Ah," AJ closed the door behind her and jogged up the steps to meet her at the front door, "that makes more sense."

No more than a moment went by before Reginald opened the door. "She's waiting in the garden."

Elizabeth took a step inside and turned about to look at AJ. "Aren't you coming in?"

He saw her worry and smiled. "I'm pretty sure this is a 'girls' tea. I'm going to go and watch some of the basketball game on ESPN at the Gate House. Just call me when you're done."

She saw the encouragement in his eyes and felt it in the reassuring smile he gave her. "Okay. I'll call you then."

AJ waited until Reginald closed the door before he walked down the stairs. The Gate House was close enough that he walked. Later when he would go and collect Elizabeth and bring her there... he'd drive. The night would be chilly by then and he didn't mind the walk.

-Rose Garden-

Elizabeth had yet to sit since she'd been shown out into the garden by Reginald. She'd given Lila a warm kiss on her cheek as the older woman had held gently onto her hands and then Elizabeth had taken the handles of the wheelchair and deftly maneuvered Lila Quartermaine up and down the various paths of the garden. They stopped near each different species and Lila charmed Elizabeth with the story of each bloom.

As they neared the table tucked into the gazebo, Emily appeared on the patio. "Oh! Hey... sorry." She blushed and worried her lower lip as she searched for something to say. "I was just..."

"Hey, Emily," Elizabeth gave the other young woman a soft smile, "your grandmother was just telling about the roses before we sit down for some tea."

Emily looked over at the table. "I thought I smelled Cook's chocolate cake when I came in."

Elizabeth moved to the side of Lila's chair. "I'm happy to share-"

Lila covered Elizabeth's hand with her own. "We have more than enough that neither of you girls have to share." Lila gestured at the table. "Come, Emily, sit down with us."

Emily watched Elizabeth as the girls took their places once Elizabeth guided Lila's chair up to the table. Handing her grandmother a napkin, Emily set one in her own lap.

The two girls reached out for the teapot at the same time and when they bumped their fingertips together they laughed.

-The Gate House -

AJ reached into his pocket for the key and before he could set it in the lock he heard a noise a behind him. AJ whirled around and stared at the woman emerging from the shadows. "Where's Jason?"

Carly gave him an exaggerated shrug. "I'm not here to see Jason." The words weren't so bad, it was the heavy quality of her words, the distinctive sway of her hips as she moved closer. "I'm here... because I think I might have," she touched her fingers to his arm, "left something behind the last time I was here."

"The one time you were here," he clarified, "you broke in with my brother and... ruined my couch."

Her laughter was forced, a harsh sound that would have been at home amidst pool tables and smoky rooms. "Jason didn't complain."

"Yeah," AJ sighed, "it wasn't his couch."

"So..." she sighed as she looked up at him through her lashes, "are you going to invite me in?"

He pressed his lips together and pondered the stupidity of helping her. "What is it that you think you left here?"

Carly narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. She seemed to be a little upset over the question. "My earring."

"Your earring?" AJ leaned to one side and then the other. She had two on. "You seem to have them both-"

"Of course I have two on NOW... you think I'm going to walk around town with ONE?"

Rubbing at the back of his neck, AJ sighed out loud. "Look, I'll take a look around and if I find it, I'll drop it off with Jason, okay?"

Carly reached out and snatched the key from AJ's hand. "How about you just let me look?"

- Rose Garden -

Emily picked up the plate of finger sandwiches and held it out to Elizabeth. "We still have one of those cucumber ones you like."

Taking it, Elizabeth put the sandwich on her plate. "Thanks," she looked at a nearby rose bush and then turned to Lila. "Mrs. Quartermaine, I was wondering if you'd let me come back sometime and paint your roses."

"Paint them?" Lila clapped her hands together. "How delightful!" She leaned closer to Elizabeth. "Have you been painting long?"

"She's really good at painting," Emily put a cube of sugar in her tea cup, "I have the art class after Elizabeth and I always make sure to take a peek at her work when I come into class." She swished her spoon around in the cup. "I really liked that painting you did of the snowy mountains."

Elizabeth blinked at the other girl. "You saw that painting?"

"Yeah," Emily shrugged, "everyone thinks you're good."

Going quiet, Elizabeth sat back in her chair, tears suddenly weighing on her lashes. She shared a look with Lila and then turned back to Emily. "It's really nice to hear that... thank you."

-The Gate House -

AJ sat on the armchair and propped his feet up on the coffee table. Carly bent over as she dug her hands in between the couch cushions, her tight jeans nearly painted on her body. "I'm pretty sure it's got to be here..."

Picking up the remote, AJ tried to raise the volume so that he could hear the game over Carly's incessant monologue about her stupid earring, but no matter what she could easily be heard over the game. When she finally stood with something held triumphantly in her hand she was less than thrilled to notice that AJ had his gaze fixed on the TV set before him.

"Thanks... I found it."

"Good." AJ kept his eyes on the screen. "You can show yourself out, right?"

"You know," she made one last ditch effort to catch his attention, "if you get lonely, you can always call." She reached into her pocket and took out a piece of paper that she'd written her phone number on and she set it on the table beside the door.

"Yeah, I don't think so, sorry." AJ jumped up as his team made a three point shot at the buzzer. "Yes!"

-Outside the Gate House-

Elizabeth had asked to use the phone to call AJ, but Emily offered to walk her down to the Gate House instead. The two girls, having found a number of similarities between them, were on the verge of becoming good friends.

As they neared the door, Emily slowed down a bit and touched Elizabeth's arm. As focused as they were on each other, they didn't notice the curious eyes watching from the shadows. "Hey, Elizabeth," Emily felt shame creep up along her face, "I'm really sorry for everything."

Elizabeth shrugged, but Emily could see the relief in her eyes. "It's okay, really."

"I really misjudged you." She shook her head. "After all that Sarah told me," she sighed, "I thought I knew what kind of person you were... but your sister really doesn't know you, does she?"

Shaking her head, Elizabeth groaned, "I don't think we're ever going to be friends... I just hope we don't kill each other in the process."

Emily's laughter was soft and embarrassed. "Well, I, for one, have learned my lesson and I'm really glad that you're with my brother."

"With?" Elizabeth waved off the idea. "We're friends, Emily. AJ is the best friend I've ever had and I really... care for him..." Elizabeth swallowed around the knot in her throat, "but he'd never..." Elizabeth looked down at her worn jeans and over-sized t-shirt, "I'm not the kind of girl he'd like... like that."

Reaching out, Emily lifted a chocolate curl from Elizabeth's shoulder. "Hey... I see what I see... just wait."

-Skulking in the Bushes-

Carly Benson stripped branch after branch free of leaves, crumbling the papery points into a ripped mess at her feet.


	21. Step 21

Step 21

-Hardy House-

Elizabeth set her textbook down when she heard the doorbell and she dropped her pencil down as she called upstairs. "I'll get it!" Skirting around the coffee table she ran to the door and opened it. "Hello-"

Detective Taggart gave her a pointed look. "Did you even look out the peep-hole or the window?"

Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth stepped to the side and let him in. "You said you were just a few minutes away... so I knew it was going to be you!"

Taggart stepped inside and watched her shut the door. Then he waited for her to lock the door. "Good. But still," he narrowed his gaze at her, "you should check the door."

Elizabeth's expression dimmed. "Okay... I get it." She worried her bottom lip with her teeth. "Did something happen?"

Shaking his head, Taggert gestured to the couch. "No, no... I didn't mean to make you worry... too much, I'm just checking in to let you know that we still don't have any leads on this guy."

Sinking down onto the couch, Elizabeth grabbed the throw off the back and wrapped it around herself. "No leads... that's bad."

Taggart sat down on the chair opposite the coffee table. "No leads means we just haven't found him yet." He cleared his throat. "I'm not going to give up... so YOU are not going to give up. Okay?"

She was barely aware that she was nodding. "Okay."

- Kelly's-

AJ walked out of Kelly's and stopped short. Jason was heading for the doors, pulling off his gloves. "AJ."

"Hey, Jason." AJ shifted the box in his hands to his left arm so he could offer Jason a handshake. His brother returned the gesture. "Can't resist the meatloaf special?"

Jason's look was priceless. It was really difficult to blend a f*ckyou look with a whatever, but Jason managed the nuance with ease. "I'm hungry." He looked at the assortment of takeout boxes in the cardboard box. "Looks like you are too."

AJ looked at the box, a wide grin on his lips. "I'm bringing these over to Elizabeth's."

The name got a small reaction. "Elizabeth Webber?"

The question in AJ's expression was clear.

Jason held up his hands. "Don't read anything into it. Grandmother was telling me about her."

"What did she tell you."

Jason's blue eyes narrowed. "Just that you're spending time with Elizabeth and she and Emily are becoming friends... is there something I should know?"

AJ shook off the thought that had leapt into his head. "No... no... I just didn't want people talking about Elizabeth... she needs her privacy." AJ shifted the box back into his arms. "I've got to go."

-Hardy House-

Elizabeth looked everywhere but Taggart's eyes. "You know, sometimes I'm walking down the hall at school and someone touches my shoulder and my heart skips." She flexes her fingers in her blanket. "I walk into the minimart on the corner and I see someone looking at me over the shelving system and grab my chest like that will help." She took in a couple of gasping breaths. "I know that you're trying to do everything you can to find him... that you'll do everything you can until you catch him."

Taggart nodded even though she couldn't quite see him. "I'm going to find this guy, Elizabeth. We're going to put him behind bars for a long time. We'll get him for what he did to you."

"I'd rather..." she looked up at him, "I'd rather we just stop him before he does this to someone else."

There was a pause between them, it took Elizabeth a moment for her to realize that he was holding onto something.

Taggart looked down at his hands on his knees. "That's the thing," he confided in her, "I've been studying the reports coming in... since your attack we've had six other rapes reported and none of them match the MO of your attack. Not the place, not the time, not the victim... Elizabeth-"

"So this was personal." Her voice was dead. The look in her eyes... haunted. "He came after me."

"It might," Taggart stood and moved around to the couch and sat down beside her being careful not to jostle her, "have been just a circumstance, Elizabeth... wrong place at the wrong time." He reached out and was relieved when she let him cover her hand with his. "He might not having been following you."

"Somehow," she swallowed hard around the lump in her dry throat, "the idea still isn't a comfort." She looked up at Taggart. "He might not have been following me before... but he knows who I am now." Her free hand pressed against her thundering heart. "He knows who I am... and he knows that he can get to me."

-The Street out Front-

Lucky stepped up to the front door, a couple of notebooks in his arms and a small bouquet of daisies from the grocery store laid over the top. He had no idea that someone was taking pictures of him... of the house... and right through the window.

-The Hardy House-

The doorbell barely registered to the two sitting in the living room. Taggart was worried about the pallor of her skin and the quiver he felt in the hand he was holding. He wasn't going to get up, not until he was sure she was going to be okay.

The doorbell rang again and Sarah skipped down to the landing on the stairway. "Hello?"

The doorbell rang again and she huffed. "Fine!" She skipped the rest of the way to the first floor. "I'll get it." She crossed over to the door and unlocked it... swinging it open. "Lucky! Hey!" She stepped in and smiled at him. "It's so good to see you." Sarah saw the flowers that he brought. "Those are so pretty!"

The shell-shocked young man looked back at Sarah, up until that moment he'd been staring at Elizabeth sitting beside the detective. "Yeah... they are."

She stood there... waiting.

The detective turned to look at him and Lucky jolted himself into action. "Elizabeth, hi."

The young woman looked up at him. "Hey."

With a shy shrug, he walked over to the couch. "I know that you must be behind on Porter's class."

Elizabeth could only nod, puzzling over his appearance.

"So, I... uh... brought you my notes." He shifted his arms and held out the notebooks. "If you want to read them."

"You brought me your notes?" Elizabeth let go of the throw blanket and when it fell from her shoulders she reached out to take the notebooks. "Thank you." She set them down in her lap. "That's really sweet of you."

He shrugged again and then almost as an afterthought he held out the bouquet of flowers. "And these... I wasn't sure what kinds of flowers you like... but I figure these are pretty generic... I mean-"

Elizabeth chuckled a little as she reached out for the bouquet. "Usually when someone gives you something.. you give them something back. But you're giving me notebooks.. and flowers? What did I do?"

Lucky's face flushed. "I know you've been trying really hard to... you know, work through things... and I thought it would be nice to bring you something pretty... to,... you know, take your mind off... stuff."

Elizabeth sniffled and she covered her eyes with her free hand.

Lucky looked at Detective Taggart. "What's wrong?" He swallowed hard and stared at the detective, looking for answers. "What did I do wrong?"

Sarah folded her arms over her chest and fought down a scream. Detective Taggart... Lucky... who was next in the Lizzie parade?

"Hey there." A knock at the door turned heads. "I brought some food from Kelly's." AJ looked at the assembled group and focused on Elizabeth's face... the red rimmed eyes. "What happened?"

"What happened?" Sarah groaned out loud. "What happened is we need to install a ticket machine at the front door... maybe get a secretary to schedule guests?" Letting out a sigh she headed back upstairs. "Someone close the door before the flies get in."

AJ set the food down on the coffee table and squeezed past Taggart to sit on the couch beside her. Lifting the notebooks and the flowers he set them down beside the food and took her hand. "Hey... what's up?"

"Lucky brought me flowers... and notes from our class."

"Okay." AJ waited.

"That was really nice."

"Yeah, it was," he looked up at Lucky and gave him a nod.

Elizabeth gasped in a breath. "Detective Taggart came by to tell me that... to tell me..." she looked up at AJ and dissolved into tears.

Taggart walked over to Lucky and shushed him toward the front door, quietly thanking him for coming and asking him to leave. Once the boy stepped out onto the front porch Taggart shut the door in his face.

-The Street out Front -

AJ Quartermaine.

He focused the camera through the window and watched the frat boy wrap his arms around Elizabeth.

Elizabeth.

His Elizabeth.

AJ Quartermaine had to go.


	22. Step 22

Step 22

- Hardy House-

Sarah came downstairs and started looking under every possible object that wasn't nailed down, lifting magazines, knick knacks, and cushions with equal curiosity. While Elizabeth noticed her sister she didn't look up from her studies until Sarah squeezed between the couch and the coffee table where Elizabeth had her feet propped up. Elizabeth pulled her feet out of the way and set them on the floor. "What are you looking for, Sarah?"

The elder sister stood up and gaped a look at Elizabeth. It was the sudden smile that had Elizabeth on edge a moment later. "Why, I'm looking for your suitors, sister dear."

Elizabeth's mouth went dry. Sarah had been in a very dark mood since Elizabeth had been in the hospital. "What are you talking about?"

Making a great show of lifting a couch cushion, Sarah sighed loudly. "Nope... no Lucky..." then another cushion, "nope... no AJ." She dropped the cushion and sighed again. "Looks like you're all alone today... whose shoulder will you cry on without them?"

Tears pricked at Elizabeth's eyes but she struggled not to let them show. "Why are you... what is... Sarah, I-"

"You'll never change will you, Lizzie?" Sarah's eyes were cold and dark. "Even when you were a baby, you wanted all the attention. You wanted everyone to look at you... everyone to spend time with you. I had to be sooo good to get any attention... I had to beg for attention instead of having my share... and now we're in Port Charles I still can't get away from you and your adoring group of men! I'm the older sister... the pretty one... the smart one... and still... it's all about you... it's all about Lizzie!"

Elizabeth stood and moved toward Sarah hoping to reach her sister somehow. "Sarah, I've never tried to get the attention... I didn't know you felt that way!" She reached out a hand to touch her sister's arm but Sarah jerked away. "I know we've never been close, but I'd like to think that we can be friends... somehow."

"How generous of you, Lizzie." Sarah's words were dripping with sarcasm. "But I'd rather not lump myself in the groupies who live to make you feel good about yourself. I'm not like you, Lizzie... I'm not the needy little nothing that you are."

Elizabeth could barely keep on her feet as her sister marched back up the stairs. It was only when she heard Sarah's door slam closed that she collapsed onto the couch, snatched up a pillow, and cried herself silly with only the pillow to muffle the sounds of her despair.

- Quartermaine Gate House-

Emily wrinkled her nose as Carly disappeared into the bedroom, closing the door behind her when she entered the bathroom. Emily turned to Jason. "I don't get it."

"Don't get what?" He took a drink of his beer.

"Her!" Emily shuddered for effect. "What do you see in her?"

AJ made a great show of watching the game on the TV.

Jason took another drink and crumpled the empty can. "She's fun."

"Fun?" Emily was still struggling to understand. "She's crass."

Jason's look was priceless. "You've been listening to Edward too much."

Emily folded her arms over her chest. "The word fits... so why don't you see it?"

Opening another beer, Jason shrugged. "I done keep her around for conversation."

Carly picked that moment to come back into the room. When she flopped down beside Jason she leaned in to whisper something and as Emily watched, as one watches some grotesque footage on a tabloid new program, Carly nipped at his ear with her teeth.

It was in that horrifying moment that Emily realized what Jason viewed as 'fun.' She nearly shot out of her chair. "I think I'm going to go back to the house."

When she threw open the door, bouncing it off of the wall, AJ and Jason shared a look. AJ was the one to get up and head out after their sister, leaving Jason to jerk his head away from Carly and give her a dark look.

"Emily... Em!" AJ stopped Emily about 100 yards from the house and held onto her arm as she struggled to get away from him. "Hey... stop."

"That's just..." she swung around and pointed a hand at the gatehouse, "that... woman... it's just... gross!"

AJ tried to hide his smile at her realization. "Jason's not serious about her... not the way you're thinking," he explained, "sometimes a guy... well, he finds a woman that shares his... um..."

"Urges?" Emily's voice was nearly a shout. "I've heard about it, AJ, but that doesn't mean I understand it... or that I like it..."

"True, Emily, but this is Jason's life and if he likes spending time with what's-her-name."

"It really makes me glad that you're spending your time with Elizabeth." She gave AJ a nudge with her elbow."

AJ's smile faltered a bit as he saw her look. "Wait... wait... Elizabeth and I are friends."

"That's what she said," Emily added, "but you guys would be perfect together! She's pretty and you're handsome and-"

AJ grabbed her shoulders and laughed a little. "If that was all that mattered then all those Hollywood couples would last forever."

Emily's curious expression gave AJ pause... when his little sister got 'that' look on her face... it was NEVER a good thing. "Well, I know the real thing when I see it and-"

"Emily," AJ swallowed and took a breath, "Elizabeth isn't even 16... but what you're forgetting here... is what she's been through... I doubt she sees me like that at all!"

Wrapping her brother in a big hug she sighed. "Just you wait, AJ... you'll see."

AJ shook his head wanting to tell her that she was completely wrong... the only problem was... he wasn't quite so sure anymore.

-Hardy House-

Elizabeth curled up on her bed and cradled the phone handset to her ear. "Hello, Dr. Abernathy, please." She waited and dried her tears with her tissue. "Dr. Abernathy... yes, this is Elizabeth Webber, thank you... yes... no... I'm sorry, I not... I'm not crying... I'm... yes... I'm sick."

A knot formed deep within her belly and still she couldn't stop herself from lying.

"No, I won't be able to come in tomorrow. No... no... I can't schedule another appointment right now."

She listened to the doctor and her concerned questions. "I'll call when I'm well again... thank you, really, Dr Abernathy... you've been such a huge help." She felt tears threaten again and she rushed to end the call. "So thank you for all your help... yes. Goodbye."

Elizabeth ended the call and felt breathless. Pressing her tissue to her chest she struggled to breathe past the lump in her throat.

She felt like she'd just closed a door on herself and yet she couldn't seem to pick up the phone and dial the doctor back. She needed to be her own person now. She needed to stand on her own two feet and stop leaning on everyone else.

Pulling the blanket up to her chin she tucked herself into the pile of pillows and cried herself to sleep.

-Quartermaine Mansion-

AJ crossed the room and gave his grandmother a kiss on her cheek before he sat down beside her. The sofa cushions were quickly moved away so that he could sit back and watch as Lila's fingers, bent and stiffened with age, managed to arrange her flowers into a dark blue glass vase. He watched the way she inserted the blooms, making sure that the colors and sizes of the blooms matched each other even though they were over different colors and varieties.

"That's a really beautiful arrangement, Grandmother."

She smiled and placed a white bloom in between a red and a yellow. "I've had practice, AJ."

"It's more than just practice," he insisted, "you have a real eye for it."

"It's like art," she admitted, "some see things differently than others." She reached over to the side table and lifted a paper, handing it to him. "Like this... such a lovely little sketch made in no time at all."

AJ looked down at the paper. A pencil drawing of roses. "Did Elizabeth draw this?"

Lila smiled as she lifted a bloom just below her nose. "Yes, yes... she drew that during tea the last time she was here. It's quite lifelike."

"She's good." AJ smiled as he lifted the paper higher to examine it in better light. "I didn't know she liked to draw."

"Draw and paint." Lila's joy was palpable. "I hope she'll come back soon."

"Soon?" AJ set the paper down beside him. "Wasn't she supposed to come here Friday after school?"

Lila's gaze was concerned. "No, the poor dear girl is sick. She said she'd call when she's well and we can reschedule."

AJ was on his feet. "I should call her-"

She took hold of his hand. "She told me took some medicine and she was going to sleep." She gave his hand a squeeze. "Give her a call tomorrow and check up on her... I'm sure she'd appreciate that."

-The Brownstone-

Carly tensed as Tony turned over in his sleep, his hand reaching out for her. She had agreed to stay for two reasons. 1- Jason was busy out of town working on something for Sonny. 2-Bobbie was working an overnight shift at GH.

It certainly had nothing to do with Tony. He was okay in bed. He had no imagination and no fire. He did everything like he was checking off things on a list.

As she felt him cuddle up against her back she braced herself for another round of his 'attentions.'

Jason was heaven in bed... and any number of places that he thought to have her. He was strong and virile and she longed for his touch every minute of the day. Still, he was a man who didn't get attached to women... he enjoyed them... and certainly knew how to get them to enjoy him.

Tony had been a two-fold experiment. Carly wanted to stick it to Bobbie... to prove that she was every inch the woman her incubator was.. and then some. And Tony was a man of distinction. He was a respected man... a doctor. A man who made a lot of money and could keep a woman comfortable. Tony was someone that she thought she might be able to settle with. Someone who could give her money and gifts.

She felt his mouth on her neck and she resisted the urge to gag. His kisses were sloppy and wet and the idea of an older man had only been appealing as just that... an idea... the reality was horrible.

As she felt his fingers dig into her hip she did her best to relax into his embrace and whisper a few breathy words of encouragement she focused her mind on something else entirely... another man entirely.

-Quartermaine Gate House -

AJ set the phone down and paced around the room. When he'd returned to the Gate House he'd heard the message from Elizabeth.

"I just wanted to call and let you know that you don't have to pick me up tomorrow after school. I'm still not feeling well and I don't have to go to my appointment this week. That way you'll have time to see your friends... or your family and... you don't have to worry about me.'

Since then he'd tried to call her three times but he'd only heard the answering machine.

Something was wrong.

And the next morning, he was going to go and find out what it was.


	23. Step 23

Step 23

-Hardy House-

Elizabeth felt like a total and complete liar. She'd lied to her Grandmother, she'd lied to AJ, she'd lied to nearly everyone she knew. She was tired of lying. So very tired.

*knock*knock*

Elizabeth lifted her head from the pillow and looked at the door. "Hello?"

*knock*knock*

The odd shaking sound turned her head to the window. "Oh my God!" She got up on her knees. "Emily!"

Elizabeth scrambled off her bed and unlocked the window, throwing up the glass pane. "What are you doing here?"

Emily slung one leg over the frame and then the other. Once inside she gave Elizabeth a hug. "I'm here to see you, silly." Taking Elizabeth's hand she dragged her over to the bed and tugged her down with her. "You ran out of school so quickly I didn't get to talk to you."

"I have so much homework."

"You are such a liar!"

Elizabeth gasped and tears collected on her lashes. "I... I-"

Emily grabbed at her hand. "Hey... what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Elizabeth could only stare at Emily, her lower lip quivering.

"Oh my God... you are sick!" Sliding off the bed she pulled back the covers. "Here... lie down... I'll be right back." Emily moved toward the door. "I'm going to get you something to eat."

"Emily... wait!" Elizabeth nearly stumbled in her haste to get to Emily before she opened the door.

-Jakes-

AJ stopped by the bar. "Jake?"

The woman that leaned on the counter smiled at him. "I know you, stranger."

Shrugging, AJ gave her a smile. "I know... it's been awhile... but you wouldn't want the likes of me hanging around."

Sighing, she agreed. "Sober in a bar... it's a sad story... but I'm glad you got yourself together."

He nodded. "Day by day, Jake... day by day."

She nodded toward the stairs. "You here to see Jason?"

AJ nodded. "He called me... for help."

Jake's eyes widened. "There's a first for all things." She set down her towel. "Room 2."

"Thanks."

- Hardy House-

Emily returned from foraging downstairs, having passed a surprised Sarah on the stairs. Her arms full of soda and chips. "Health food." Emily coaxed Elizabeth to sit beside her on the bed. "You're going to eat something and then you're going to tell me why you're hiding from everyone."

Looking up at Elizabeth she grinned at the shocked expression. "Lucky's got a crush on you, you know."

Again, Elizabeth was shocked. "I thought he liked Sarah."

"So did Sarah," Emily giggled. "But I'm sure you've noticed that he's all about you these days."

"All about me?" Elizabeth took a sip of the soda. "I really don't think so..."

"The flowers? I know he left you some chocolates in your locker at school." She winkled her nose. "Remember, the melted ones you found?"

"All over my math textbook?" Elizabeth gave her a weak smile. "I thought someone did that as a prank."

"Nope," Emily grinned, "Lucky just wanted to give them to you but couldn't quite get up the courage."

"Oh... I should thank him."

Emily choked on her soda. "NO! He'd be mortified! Or maybe that might be fun too!"

Elizabeth reached into the bag for a chip.

"Grandmother can't wait for you to come to tea again... she really likes that drawing you made for her. She asked Reginald to find an easel and supplies. Next time when you come up to the house she's going to ask you to paint the roses for her."

Elizabeth let out a nervous breath. "That would be wonderful... I just don't know when I'll be able to."

-Jake's - Room 2 -

AJ set the paper bag on the night stand and shook his head. "What the hell happened to you?"

Jason had one eye open, the other almost swollen completely closed. "Someone's fist happened to me."

With AJ's help, Jason took off his t-shirt and revealed a number of other bruises. "Looks like you had a busy night." He looked around. "Where's Carly?"

Jason started to shrug but the pain got the better of him. "I don't know... she's off somewhere. Doesn't really matter to me."

AJ took out some bandages from the bag and some pain pills from the drug store. "So it's just... physical?"

Taking off his jeans with care, Jason grabbed a towel and headed for the bathroom. "We enjoy each other, but I'm not looking for a woman full time. I've got a job with odd hours and," he gestured to his black eye, "perks."

The water in the shower turned on and Jason called out from the shower. "What about that girl... the one who was in the hospital." A paused. "The one you didn't want me to talk about."

AJ could almost hear Jason's smile and had his own smile when Jason hissed from the pain of water on his bruises. "Elizabeth... I haven't seen her for over a week."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"If you weren't already bruised, I would give you one." AJ's bluster went out of him immediately. "I dunno really... She called and canceled a trip to her ther- her doctor, said she was sick, but Emily's seen her at school, and when I went over to the house she wouldn't come down and talk to me."

"Maybe she's too sick to come to the door-"

"I said she was at school."

"Maybe it's just a girl thing." Jason turned around in the shower muffling his voice. "Ask Emily to talk to her." He heard another hiss. "Or maybe you ought to find someone who isn't a high school girl. She can't be more than 16-"

"Fifteen," AJ jumped in... she'll be sixteen in November."

"Then what 'are' you doing with her? Jailbait never seemed to be your thing."

"It's not about sex, Jason."

"You're a man, AJ... it's always about sex."

AJ couldn't say what he was really thinking. He couldn't tell Jason what had happened to Elizabeth, it wasn't his place. He couldn't explain to Jason that he wasn't about to hit on Elizabeth... and perhaps.. if he was really truthful with himself-

"The next thing you're going to tell me... is that you actually care about her..." rough laughter was heard between spurts of water from the shower, "falling for her."

AJ closed his eyes and was thankful that Jason was in the next room. He couldn't see the stricken look on AJ's face.

-General Hospital Lunch Room-

Monica noticed Audrey after she'd poured a cup of coffee. The nurse was seated at the corner table away from the sightlines of the doors. "Hello, Audrey."

"Monica." She punctuated her greeting with a sip of her coffee. "Double shift again?"

"Yes... you?"

"That seems like the normal thing these days... to tell you the truth I'm happy to be here."

Monica took a seat at Audrey's table. "How is Elizabeth doing?"

"I really don't know." Audrey sighed and felt her face flush. "She seemed to be doing well once she was released from the hospital, but the last week..." She looked at Monica. "This last week or two... she's been holed up in her room studying. Has... has AJ said anything?"

It was Monica's turn to look uncomfortable. "I wouldn't know. AJ hasn't spent much time up at the house except to see his grandmother. I think he's still a bit... upset with us."

"I wish I knew what to say to Elizabeth." She set her mug down and used it to warm her hands. "Our last conversation didn't seem to end well."

"Oh?" Monica watched the other woman intently. "How did it end?"

"I made her a nice cup of tea... and then I mentioned that she seemed to be holding onto all the negativity after the attack... I told her that we'd take care of her... we agreed that we didn't need to tell her parents... and talking about it was going to cause her pain. So I told her it was best to put it behind her... to forget it ever happened..." She shrugged. "Later when I went to talk to her she said she was busy and that's been her answer ever since."

-Hardy House-

"Emily," Elizabeth tried to find a way to explain things without too much detail. She was becoming close friends with the other young woman, but she didn't want to reveal too much. Finding someone she could depend on was hard. Her own sister was a prize. "I'm sure AJ has a ton of things he needs to do... that having me hanging around on his couch every other afternoon would make impossible."

"Nope," Emily was absolutely certain, "he's been moping around since you've been hiding away. He barely does anything but try to ignore Jason's friend when the two of them come over to the Gate House. He's been sad enough that mom and dad have started to worry about him."

"Worry?" Elizabeth felt a stab of fear. "What's going on?"

Emily never could quite keep a secret from someone she cared about. "They're worried he's going to start drinking again."

"Again?" Elizabeth set her soda down on the nightstand. "What's wrong?"

Biting her lip, Emily decided to let her into the secret. "AJ's an alcoholic, Liz," she lowered her tone, "he was drinking and driving too... he's the reason why Jason lost all his memories and became Jason Morgan."

Elizabeth was reeling from the information that Emily revealed to her. "But he hasn't... I mean... I haven't seen him take a drink..." she shook herself as her own words from the hospital came back to her, "that's why they were so relieved when I told them the beer wasn't his." Elizabeth gulped in a breath of air. "I thought they were worried that AJ gave me beer to drink... I was so stupid!"

Emily reached out a hand and covered Elizabeth's. "Don't get down on yourself. Not everyone knows about AJ."

"I'm not much of a friend to him then, am I? I didn't know there was something wrong... and all I did was lean on him again and again." Elizabeth felt her chest tighten up as she tried to breathe. "All I did... all I was... was just this girl that needed him over and over... putting my problems in his lap! Making him drop everything for me?"

Elizabeth's tears fell freely down her cheeks. "I'm not the kind of friend that he needs, Emily... I'm not the kind of friend that he deserves."

"Elizabeth, I-" Emily was shocked into near silence as she watched Elizabeth crumble before her eyes.

Shaking her head, Elizabeth turned away from Emily. "Please... go... please!"


	24. Step 24

Step 24

-The Brownstone-

The alarm was obnoxious and there was no way to avoid it. Bobbie would be coming back in less than two hours and Carly didn't want to get caught... not yet.

Stretching in bed, she managed to avoid Tony's grasping hands.

"Come on, Carly," he nuzzled her neck, "come get in the shower with me."

Turned away from him she could roll her eyes. "Not today, honey."

She heard his sigh and felt the mattress shift as he got up. Carly looked over at the bureau and saw the pictures that lined the top. "That's your daughter?"

"BJ... yeah." Tony's voice was tight. "I miss her every day... every minute."

Carly's teeth ground together. Bobbie never thought about her... she was sure of that... Bobbie just dumped her and left. "Have you ever thought of having another child?"

"I don't know," Tony spoke softly, "the loss... it nearly killed me."

"But," Carly shifted uncomfortably in bed, struggling to keep her thoughts on the subject at hand, "if you did..." She turned around to look at Tony.

He stood there in the doorway, a blanket wrapped around his waist and his heart in his eyes. "I would love that child more than my own life... I would everything I could to take care of them... I take my responsibilities seriously, Carly... don't ever doubt that."

As he disappeared into the bathroom Carly sank deeper into the pillows... this wasn't going to work.

She was pretty sure she was pregnant... she just didn't know if it was Jason's or Tony's... the problem was... if it was Jason's what was she going to do? Bring up a baby in a room above Jake's bar? Or Tony... he had money... but having him touch her would get old... was already old... she had to have a drink or two before she'd let him touch her.

Rolling over on her stomach she pulled Tony's bag out from under the bed and rifled through the pill bottles she found there. She recognized some of the names on the bottles and tucked a couple into her own purse before she snatched up her clothes and go dressed.

-Port Charles High School-

Elizabeth ran along the sidewalk worried she'd be late. She'd slept long past her alarm and it wasn't like Sarah had done anything to help her get out of bed. She was trying to jot down some words in her notebook as she ran. She'd forgotten to finish an essay for her English class and was desperately trying to get it down on her way. She barely spared a glance for the light at the crosswalk when she heard the first bell. Seeing the green she barreled across with her eyes on the paper and managed to run into a wall.

A well muscled wall.

A well muscled wall that smelled really really good. "Oh, excuse me," Elizabeth watched in horror as her paper landed in a puddle. "Oh no!" Dropping her backpack she reached out to rescue the paper.

"Here, let me." A tanned hand rescued the paper from the water and held it out to her. "Here."

"AJ!" Elizabeth was suddenly breathless for another reason entirely. "What are you doing here?" Picking up her backpack she got up on her feet.

"I wanted to see you."

There was such an earnest plea in his voice that it flushed her cheeks because she felt the exact same way. "I'm running late..."

The school bell chimed.

"That's the second bell," she told him, "I have five minutes to get to class before I'm marked tardy." She started past him and stopped when she felt his hand on her arm. "AJ, I-"

"Please... just tell me you're going to see Dr. Abernathy... or someone else."

The bleak look in her eyes fooled no one.

"Elizabeth, if I've done something... blame me... please, tell me what I've done... but don't hurt yourself like this."

"I'm fine... really, I am," she looked away from him, but he didn't need to see the tears in her eyes to know that she was lying through her teeth. "Please, AJ... the bell."

He let go of her arm and watched as she ran down the sidewalk toward the school. He was pretty sure he'd just made a mistake letting her go like that but there was little he could do now.

The last bell rang.

- Hardy Family Car -

Elizabeth sat quietly in the passenger seat of her Grandmother's car and closed her eyes for the journey home. It had been a shock, really, to see her Grandmother sitting at the curb at the end of school. Elizabeth had been on the verge of making some excuse to walk home... catch the bus... something... instead, she'd climbed into the passenger seat and closed her eyes for the ride.

Perhaps it was the rolling stop that triggered her awakening, or the heavy canopy of shadows as they drove up the Quartermaine drive, but when Audrey parked the car at the bottom of the front steps, Elizabeth opened her eyes and sat up in shock. "Grams?"

"Lila called me today at work and wanted to know if we could stop by. She wanted to talk to you for a little bit." She saw Elizabeth's apprehension and continued on. "She'll be in the gardens waiting for you."

Elizabeth opened the door and preceded her grandmother up the steps to the front door. When Reginald opened up the door she almost gave the man a hug. For some reason she felt a large part of her sadness fall from her shoulders when she walked into the mansion.

It wasn't the rich furnishings or the china in the cabinets, Elizabeth's ease came from the anticipation of a few quiet moments among the roses.

- Jake's-

AJ started up the stairs only to be flagged by one of the waitresses. She pointed at the bar and AJ turned to see Jake behind the counter beckoning him forward. When AJ leaned up against the bar, Jake nearly shouted over the noise of the pool tables and the jukebox. "He's not here!"

"Jason? I'm sure he'll be in sometime."

Jake shook her head. "He's been gone for a day or two, I don't know where he went."

"Maybe I can just wait for him."

Jake saw that odd look on his face and shrugged. "Do whatever you like." She smiled. "How about a drink on the house?"

Before AJ could argue with her she held up her hand and set up a glass on the counter. "Just a soda."

AJ nodded and sat up at one of the bar stools with a smile, taking the glass in his hand. "Thanks."

-The Rose Garden-

Elizabeth enjoyed the sheer simplicity of breathing. The scent of the roses that surrounded her should have been overwhelming, instead the heady scents of the blooms gave her so many little things to smile about.

Lila watched her from the patio, safely covered by the oversized umbrella that Reginald had opened for her. She waited patiently for the young woman to come back to the table and sit beside her.

Giving the older woman a bright smile, Elizabeth poured tea for both of them and sat back in the chair, tucking her legs up to her chest. "Mrs. Quartermaine, you have NO idea how wonderful this is... I've been feeling like... it's felt like... what I mean to say is..." Elizabeth drew in a long shaky breath, "I've really needed to see the roses." She gasped, her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry... I mean... visiting you, too..."

Lila's laughter set Elizabeth at ease. "No worries, my dear... I completely understand what you are feeling. I find my roses infinitely more calming than any other treasure in the whole world and I am more than happy to share it with you."

They enjoyed their tea and some of Cook's chocolate cake. It was only when Elizabeth managed to gather her courage that she asked Lila. "How has AJ been?"

-Jake's-

Carly sat down beside AJ and ordered a beer. "Funny to see you here... since you don't drink."

"Just waiting for Jason."

She leaned on the bar, a smile teasing her lips. "So it's you and me sitting around... waiting on Jason."

AJ tore his gaze away from the TV screens to look at her. "Yeah, sure..."

Carly took the opportunity to look at him while he watched the basketball game playing out on the screens above the bar. AJ Quartermaine and Jason shared the most amazing genetics. She had to give it to Alan Quartermaine... he's produced two sexy young men. They shared blond hair and blue eyes... but where Jason had his edge... a sharpness that could cut a woman straight to the heart and have her breathless with a look... AJ had his boyish charm and still had a passionate nature that was easy to see just below the surface. AJ was also someone who didn't ignore his family and their money. AJ drove a nice car... lived in a fancy house on the grounds of the family mansion.

As the bar filled up, Carly moved herself closer to AJ, allowing a tentative brush between their bodies... here and there. AJ managed to make some little conversation with her while he watched the door and stairs alternately in case Jason showed up.

"Where's your little friend?"

"My what?" AJ turned for a second. "Emily? She's my sister."

"No," Carly's tone was sharp and she reined it in as quickly as she could, "the one who could use a good tan. Way too skinny for her own good, you know-"

"We're not going to talk about Elizabeth." His words piqued her interest, especially when his gaze fixed on the bottles of whiskey on the glass shelf opposite.

"Why not?" Carly stretched with a dramatic sigh, arching her back to give him the best view of her assets. "Little miss china doll too perfect for words? You need a real woman, AJ."

She saw the hard set of his jaw but she kept going, he was going to break one way or another.

"You need a woman that will let you use her any way you want. I bet someone like her wants the romance and flowers-"

"Wouldn't you?" He shook his head. He hadn't wanted to say anything.

She leaned closer, the beer on her breath coating his ear. "I'd rather we just get a nice bottle of liquor and get straight to business."

Carly set her hand on his thigh as a pretext to keeping upright on her stool and she didn't remove it afterward. AJ wasn't the kind of man to be rude if he didn't have to... so he did manage to turn the stool until she had to move her hand back to her own lap.

Carly continued her one-sided conversation knowing with each minute that Jason wouldn't be back that night. She'd come to crash at his place and avoid Tony's clammy hands for a night. She knew that Jason had gone out of town on business for Sonny and wouldn't be back for another few days.

That would give her all the time she needed.

He didn't notice when she reached into her purse and fumbled for a pill bottle. She'd taken two that morning and managed to open the top and drop a pill into his soda glass while he was watching the game.

-Jake's 2nd Floor-

Carly managed to get the door unlocked while balancing AJ's heavy body between her and the wall. The door swung open with a bang and AJ hardly stirred. "Dammit." Carly got him started in the right direction, propelling him toward the bed until she could push him down onto it.

Once she locked the door she turned back and started unbuttoning her blouse.


	25. Step 25

Step 25

-Jake's Room 2-

AJ woke up to the sound of the shower running. The oddity of the noise was alarming. After all... there was a thick wall between his bedroom and the bathroom. Rolling on his side he felt the brush of cotton from the sheets... all over his body.

He was suddenly wide awake.

Sitting bolt upright in bed he took in the scene around him as if it were a puzzle he was trying to piece together. The room was Jason's. That much he knew.

The bed was unmade, but that wasn't anything new. The fact that he was naked in it was. Swiping the back of his hand across his mouth he gagged. Whiskey. He tasted whiskey on his lips and there beside the bed were a couple of empty bottles of beer and an almost empty bottle of whiskey standing in the middle of it all.

AJ pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead.

"No."

His mouth tasted like cotton. His head began to hurt.

And somewhere deep down inside his soul he began to cry.

-Hardy House-

Saturday morning was usually Elizabeth's favorite part of the week. It was the beginning of the weekend and there was a whole two days of time that she could just use for herself. For the last few months she'd hidden away on any day, covered herself from head to toe hiding from the world.

But this morning was different. She'd spend a really nice afternoon with Lila Quartermaine and Elizabeth had enjoyed talking to the older woman. She was different from Audrey. Audrey's relationship with Elizabeth was all about making good choices, being a good student, and making the family proud. Lila wanted to know about Elizabeth's thoughts... find out what Elizabeth wanted from life... just letting Elizabeth be... herself for a change.

At first, Elizabeth had wondered if it was all just the fact that Lila Quartermaine was rich... insanely rich. Maybe that's why she could be so nice. Then again, Elizabeth had bumped into Edward Quartermaine a couple of times and that wasn't the case with him.

No, Elizabeth realized very quickly that Lila was as good of a gardener as she was a person... she helped things grow.

She also let Elizabeth talk... just like AJ. She let Elizabeth switch topics on a dime... just like AJ. And when Elizabeth felt like pouring out her heart and blubbering into a fancy linen napkin... Lila let her... especially because it was about AJ.

Elizabeth flipped back the covers of her bed and grabbed her robe from the back of her chair. She headed to the shower with a smile on her lips. She was going to go and see AJ... and apologize for the nitwit she'd been since she'd been in the hospital. She was going to see him and beg for his forgiveness.

- Jake's Room 2-

When Carly walked out of the bathroom, AJ pushed past her and doubled over at the toilet, heaving up whatever was left in his worthless stomach. The cold press of the cheap porcelain fixture chilled his palms and he was pretty sure he'd bruised his knees on the cracked linoleum.

He felt her hand touch his back and he pushed her away.

The words she hurled at him were vile... but the words she whispered moments later nearly killed him.

"Come on, AJ... is that any way to treat me after last night?" He cringed at the hand she set on his shoulder, but the brush of her breast against his arm twisted his gut. "You were so good last night, AJ... so good."

"Get... out..." AJ panted the words as bile crawled up his throat.

"Me?" Carly's temper was flared up. "I half-live here... you get out if you're going to be like that!"

AJ managed to get on his feet, not even bothering to try to wash his mouth out. The taste on his tongue was only the beginning of his penance. He managed to find his clothing amidst the crumpled sheets and pulled them on with more force than necessary. Try as he could he couldn't avoid seeing Carly. She was reflected in so many surfaces around the room that he felt trapped by the sight of her satisfied grin.

He picked up his wallet where it had fallen on the floor and opened it up.

"I didn't take any of your money if that's what you're thinking..."

AJ didn't answer her, his opened up the mouth of the wallet and felt his heart sink. There, behind the bills was a condom, still in its wrapper. He turned his head and met her eyes. "Please tell me we used protection."

"Protection?" Carly leaned against the bathroom doorway, her towel slipping low on her breasts. "Why would we need that?" Her eyes narrowed at him as her smile stretched taut across her lips. "You were so busy begging me I-"

AJ flung open the door and dashed down the stairs as though he could put the whole sordid affair behind him if he only put enough physical distance between them.

-Quartermaine Mansion-

Reginald answered the buzz from the gate. "Hello, Elizabeth." He could see her waving at the security camera with a bright smile on her face. "It's good to see you again."

"I wanted to talk to AJ, Reginald... can you let me in?"

A slight frown pinched the skin between his eyebrows as he looked at the security camera outside the Gate House. AJ's car wasn't there. "I'm not sure he's here."

"Oh," Elizabeth's own expression dimmed, "well, can I wait for him?"

"Reginald?" Lila's voice drew his attention. "Invite her up to the house."

"Mrs. Quartermaine says you can wait here."

Elizabeth's laughter was warm. "If I go up there I'll be there all day... not that there's anything wrong with that... but if it's okay... I really need to talk to AJ first."

Sharing a look with his employer, he nodded. "Sure... sure... no problem." He hit the button and the gate buzzed loudly. "Come on up later if you'd like... we'd all like to see you."

"Thanks!" Elizabeth waited until the gate opened wide enough to dash through. She went right up to the Gate House door and sat down on the step.

-The Gate House-

AJ pulled up and set the car in park. All he wanted was a bath... no, a bath and a shower. Probably with bleach.

He threw open the door and stepped out, the sun blazing in his eyes. He held up his hand to block out the light so he could see the door.

All he really wanted to was turn the clock back to yesterday morning, he would do so many things differently, like the conversation he had with Elizabeth.

"AJ! You're back!"

The sound of his own name hit him like a brick.

He squinted at the door and saw Elizabeth standing up, dusting off the back of her pants. "Elizabeth."

"Yep, that's me," she smiled at him and started to walk forward.

"Now's not a good time."

That stopped her in her tracks. "Yeah, I know... you're probably really mad at me... and I don't blame you." She shrugged and looked up at him through her lashes. "I'm really sorry for yesterday."

'So am I,' he thought. "Yeah, I shouldn't have tried to talk to you before school."

"No... no," she waved off his concern, "really, it was all me... I was stressing out about so many things and I didn't want you to think it was your fault." She moved closer and reached out to touch his arm.

AJ flinched away from her.

He wanted so many things in the next moment. He wanted to take it back. He wanted to explain. He wanted to tell her he wasn't worth her concern.

But mostly he wanted to take away the hurt in her eyes. "Elizabeth, I-"

"No... no," she swallowed as she swept her hand behind her back, "my fault. I was rude to you and you have every right to be angry with me."

"I'm not angry with you!" The biting tone of his voice was for himself. He was so angry at his own behavior that he wanted to punish himself, but she didn't know that. She only heard the clip of his words and the saw the blue snap of his gaze. "I'm not angry with you."

"Well... I deserve it," she explained, "I've been leaning on you too much. You've been there for me all this time and I didn't know... didn't know how to be there for you."

"Elizabeth, stop..."

"Please," she jumped in, her hands shaking and her heart in her throat, "just give me a chance to explain." She moved around him, her hands behind her back so she wouldn't touch him again. "I didn't know how to be your friend... to help you the way you've helped me... and I want... I need to change that, AJ." She gave him a lopsided grin. "Emily thought I knew... so she stated talking about it... so please don't be angry with her... but I want you to know... if you ever need to talk-"

"Elizabeth, don't." He closed his eyes and prayed that she would just stop there.

"No, I mean it, AJ," she stepped just a little closer, "if you ever need to talk about... if you ever need someone to listen... if you want to drink-"

"Don't." He hissed in a breath, his insides twisting with guilt and disgust. "I don't need help anymore... I don't need someone to talk to... I don't need you-"

"Okay!" She gasped in a breath, the back of her hand pressed tightly against her mouth for a moment. "Okay! I get it! I'm sorry, AJ... I'm really really sorry!" She ran.

AJ wanted to beat himself senseless. "I don't need you to help me, Elizabeth... I fell off the wagon all by myself... I'm no good for you anyway." Just the thought of Carly... of what they must have done the night before... AJ couldn't see how he'd ever deserve someone like Elizabeth... ever.

-QuickEMart Photocounter-

The cashier in the green vest tried not to stare too much at the man standing at the register. He'd insisted on rifling through all the photos in the envelopes before he purchased them. The man was big, like muscle-bound asshole big, so the clerk didn't argue. He'd already seen the photos and that had been enough to give him the heebs. They were all of a young woman about the age of his sister. She was pretty with curly dark hair and some of the photos were close enough that he could see she had pretty blue eyes. The photos that made it obvious that the girl had NO idea someone was even taking them.

Now as the man looked at them, he tried to ignore the way he ran his fingers over some of them, tracing something in the image. He smiled and the clerk had to look away or lose his appetite for the lunch he was already late for. "Uh, sir, did you want me to ring this up for you?" He was hoping the guy would pay with a credit card so he could call the cops. Something about his guy was 'off.'

"Sure," he smiled and reached into his back pocket for his wallet and the cashier caught a glimpse of a badge beneath his jacket, "how much do I owe you?"

The clerk scanned in the envelopes and tried not to sound as disgusted as he felt. The creep was a police officer. He pointed at the screen "$24.96."

The man paid in cash and the clerk could swear he felt slime on the bills.

"I'll be back for more."


	26. Step 26

Step 26

Elizabeth ended up at the last place she thought she'd ever end up. The docks.

Grams had always told her that the waterfront was full of criminals and rats... and she wasn't sure which one was worse than the other. So maybe it was that danger that attracted her there. After all, the one place where she should have been safest in the outside world. A freakin' park where people took their kids was the exact place that had taken her innocence. So, why not spend some time among the criminals. Maybe that would be safer.

Part of her wished that it wasn't.

Part of her wanted someone to knock her down.

Part of her wanted to have someone push her into the water and see if she'd drown.

As she sat on the edge of the dock, her feet dangling over the murky waters she hugged her arms around her body and tried to let her tears fall.

None came.

Maybe she was just too damn tired. Or too damn pissed off. Nope, she reasoned, she was just too damn empty.

"Excuse me... Miss?"

Elizabeth kept her head down, hoping they were talking to someone else.

"Miss? You really shouldn't be down here." Another pause. "Are you okay?"

Elizabeth leaned against one of the big wooden supports. "Please leave me alone."

"Miss, please..."

She looked up and was surprised to see broad shouldered man in a suit standing a few feet away. "I just need some time alone... okay?"

There was an urgency in his eyes. "I really think you ought to go somewhere else... maybe Kelly's?" He reached into his pocket and removed a thick wad of bills. He quickly peeled off a few and held them out out to her. "My treat."

She looked at the money and then recoiled in shock. What was so important that he was offering her $200.00 to walk away.

"Francis, what's the hold up?"

Elizabeth turned to the new man on the docks it took her but a moment to recognize him. "You're Jason... AJ and Emily's brother."

Jason gave the other man a pointed look before turning back to her. "That's me... and you are..."

"Elizabeth Webber."

"The artist." Jason nodded at the thought. "My grandmother told me that you draw."

Elizabeth blushed. "I have fun... it's nothing special. Look," she turned from Jason to Francis and back again, "I don't want to cause anyone trouble, so I'm going to leave... okay?"

Jason's displeasure with Francis was clear in the cold blue snap of his eyes and Elizabeth reacted to a memory of AJ's last words to her.

_"Don't. I don't need help anymore... I don't need someone to talk to... I don't need you-"_

She'd cut him off right then, she hadn't wanted to hear more. Couldn't stand the thought of making him mad. Not when he'd been so nice. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Jason looked a little uncomfortable, "we have a shipment coming in and the dock workers can be a little..."

"Rough," Francis explained, "they get loud and crude."

"Why don't you let me take you to Kelly's for dessert."

"Dessert?" The thought had merit. Sugar always made her feel better.

Jason held out his hand in the direction of Kelly's and the two walked off.

-The Shadows-

"Jason f*cking Morgan." He leaned back against the rough brick wall and slammed his foot back against it as well. Both of the Quartermaine brothers were sniffing around her. It just couldn't get better... or worse. AJ was an entitled bastard and Jason was just... a bastard... and a criminal of the worst kind. A criminal who had escaped responsibility and punishment for all of his crimes.

Now Elizabeth was wrapped up in their lives. It only made the whole thing sweeter.

When he got to her again... he'd get to them too.

-Quartermaine Gate House-

AJ ignored the pounding on his door. He ignored it and stared at the bottle in front of him. Cheap Vodka picked up at the liquor store on 4th Street. The man had given him a curious look, but the sight of a hundred dollar bill shut him up good.

Reaching out his hand, he grasped the plastic tab on the cap and ripped it away. As AJ stared down at the bottle he felt himself unraveling in nearly the same way. He twisted off the cap and dropped it on the floor as he contemplated the mouth of the bottle.

He tried to picture the bottle from the night before, just like he used to pick off a new scab to feel the pain of the old wound again. He wanted to relive the whole thing just to punish himself a little more... dig in the hook just that much deeper... and make his fall all the more horrifying.

He ignored the knock and forgot, like many men, that there was more than one way to annoy an older brother. Emily slid open the door on the far side of the Gate House. "You never remember to lock it, AJ," she announced preemptively as she stepped inside, "just be glad we have that security system so you won't get yourself killed or- what the HELL are you doing with that?"

His hand tightened around the neck of the bottle and he turned his back to ward off her grasping hands. "Leave, Em... now!"

"No... NO!" Emily half climbed on his back to reach her hands out and even though AJ was bigger and stronger, his day sapped the life out of him. He was barely able to fend her off and when she all but dove onto his shoulder he relaxed his arms and she snatched the bottle out of his hands. Turning it over in her hands she sighed as if the world was suddenly resting on her shoulders. "AJ, what happened?"

"I," he declared, "was a complete and utter ass last night."

She looked at the bottle. "It can't be THIS bad!"

Pressing the heel of his hand against his temple to fight off the growing ache in his head, AJ ground out his words. "I slept with someone last night... and I was drunk when I did it."

Emily shook her head. "Oh, AJ."

Leaning back on the sofa he felt the scratch of truth on his tongue as he explained further. "It was Carly."

"Carly?" Emily looked lost for a moment. "You don't have any friends named- Oh. My. God. AJ!" She hit him with her left fist. "You slept with Jason's girlfriend!"

"I didn't mean to..."

"You'll forgive me, dear brother, if I call bullshit. No one sleeps with someone without 'meaning' to... I get that you're a man and are led by your..." she gestured at his pants, "little brain, but seriously... Carly?"

Emily shuddered as she fought of the image that wanted to open in her head. There are better options if you were that hard up."

"Em, please." The words that were coming out of her mouth weren't helping him. "Not now. Leave me alone."

She hefted the bottle in her hand and stared at him. "Not if you're planning on drinking this." She shook her head. "Not for a million dollars would I leave you like this."

"Okay, it'll put a severe crimp in my trust fund, but fine TWO."

"Two million? AJ!" She kicked at his leg. "Stop it!"

He realized he was only HALF kidding. "Look, I just need some time to sort this out."

"You need to talk to me, AJ," she brushed a hand down his back, "please... let me help you."

"When I got home this morning," he moved on, "Elizabeth was here."

Emily expressive face went through a myriad of emotions... happy, confused, aghast. "Please tell me you guys had a nice little chat and she just left to get some chips and salsa from the store." She pressed her hands together in a mock prayer. "Please?"

"I told her to go away. I told her I didn't need her. I told her-"

"Boy, you are a horse's ass sometimes, AJ." Emily slugged him hard on the shoulder. "Why did you do that?" She threw a hand up toward the ceiling as if she could call a message straight up to heaven. "You need to go right out and tell her you didn't mean it."

"But I did mean it, Em... not at first... at first I was just trying to explain that I'd messed up my own recovery, but then she thought I was telling her that I didn't need her..." he lowered his face into his hands, "but the truth was... I need her... a lot... but like this..." he gestured to the bottle, "like this I'll just end up bringing her down with me." AJ held out his hand, reaching for the bottle. "I'd rather self destruct here... where the only person I'm hurting... is me."

Emily pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "You're wrong, AJ... and if you'd only tell her... Elizabeth would stand by you."

"How can she," he argued, "when I can't even stand by myself."

"I will," Emily leaned against him, offering her love and warmth.

"Because, you love me."

"That's right, dork!" She punched him in the upper arm again. "So does Elizabeth."

-Kelly's-

Elizabeth's smile at the brownie on her plate was pretty funny. Jason leaned back in his chair and gave her a look. "Should I leave you two alone?" He pointed up the stairs. "Get you guys a room?"

Using her fork to shave off a thin slice of the brownie, Elizabeth lifted the bite up and into her mouth. "Oh my GOODNESS!" She sighed and leaned back into her chair. "That is amazing!"

She caught him watching her with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "You want to try some?" She went so far as to move the plate closer to him on the table even though her eyes were begging him to say no.

Jason waved his hand at the plate. "It's all yours... I don't eat a lot of sugar if I can help it."

She scrunched up her nose. "What is wrong with you? Are you human?"

"Last I checked," he watched her each another slice, "what about you... do you always eat brownies like this?"

"Like what?" Elizabeth was suddenly self conscious, covering her mouth with a napkin. "Sorry."

He shook his head. "Like every bite is gold."

She shrugged. "I appreciate good chocolate and I don't have a lot of money to buy desserts much... so when I get one... I savor it."

Elizabeth took a sip of her hot chocolate and the whipped topping frosted part of her top lip.

Jason's look was simple enough. She was crazy.

Laughing, Elizabeth leaned forward as Jason held out a napkin to wipe the offending cream from her mouth.

"Where did you pick up this little piece of trash, Jason?" The brassy blonde placed her fists on her hips. "Maybe it was some dark street corner in NYC... like the gum that sticks to your shoe."

He was used to her passionate nature, but hadn't quite gotten used to her cutting comments. They were getting to be a habit... one that he didn't like.

Elizabeth was sure that the other woman had just committed her face to memory, while Elizabeth was too afraid to get a good look her. Something about this woman set her on edge. Something told Elizabeth to stay far far away and she was going to listen to that bit of advice.


	27. Step 27

Step 27

-Port Charles Mall-

Elizabeth felt like a fish out of water. Emily had no problem diving into the racks at the high end stores in the mall, Elizabeth couldn't even afford to 'breathe' the air in the store. She followed behind Emily and watched as the other young woman easily made her way through the racks picking out clothes to try on.

"Isn't your birthday coming up?"

"Birthday?" Elizabeth froze up. "Yeah... November."

"Your grandmother said something to my mom. It's your Sweet Sixteen!"

Elizabeth cringed. "Yeah... sweet." She looked at Emily with that 'help me' expression on her face. "I don't know if I want a big party." Elizabeth slid her hand down the arm of a jacket that they passed by and then snatched it back when one of the ladies working in the department gave her a warning look and cleared her throat. Elizabeth put her hand behind her back as she continued to follow Emily. "I'd rather just sit around with some friends and watch TV... maybe go see a movie or something."

Emily whirled around. "I know!" She swept up to Elizabeth and grabbed her arm. "We'll get AJ to take us to the Lake House and we'll have a party on the dock. You'd LOVE it!"

It took Emily a few moments to see the blank expression on Elizabeth's face and read the panic in her eyes. "Come on, Elizabeth... you have to see him sometime!"

"I know... I want to, Em... but, he made it very clear that I... that he..." Elizabeth looked away and let out a breath. "Look, I'd be happy just you and me... and a movie at the Cineplex. How about that?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "That... at LEAST... but if things change between now and then-"

"Sure... sure..." Elizabeth just wanted to move onto a different topic... REALLY SOON.

-Quartermaine Gate House-

It was like this movie he saw, a few years ago, where the suicidal man played a game of Russian Roulette, only this time they did it... staring down the barrel of the gun. Now, as AJ sat on his couch he stared down the barrel of the vodka bottle and waited for his death.

Part of him expected to lift the bottle and guzzle the alcohol down, drowning himself in the liquor.

After all... he'd done it the night he'd slept with Carly. It should be so easy. It should just be the tip of the bottle and then he'd find himself dead drunk... right?

The bottle just stared back.

The only thing that even budged the bottle, lifting it up a fraction of an inch was the memory of Elizabeth's eyes the moment before she ran off. AJ picked up the phone to call her house but before he could dial the number the phone rang. He answered it with a curious look on his face. "Hello? What? You want me to meet you, where?"

-PCPD-

Detective Taggart wasn't used to being stonewalled. Sure, when it came to the mob that's all he had, but with his other cases. THOSE cases he could solve and convict and look himself in the mirror and know he'd gotten justice for someone.

But not Elizabeth Webber.

Not yet.

It had already been nearly eight months since her attack and he was still no closer to finding the asshole than when he'd started. There was DNA, but no matter how many times he ran it against the criminal databases he couldn't find a match. Hell, he'd extended the net to every state bordering NY and then even into Canada, bugging the Royal Canadian Force until they knew him by name.

Striding through the PCPD he sat down hard in his chair and swore a little louder than under his breath.

"Bad luck?"

Taggart looked across the desk at Capelli and met his eyes after the other detective looked up at him. "Same case I've been stuck on... you?" He nodded at the desk drawer Capelli had just closed. "Those photos for a case?"

Capelli smiled, sliding his palms across the desk blotter. "Personal..."

Taggart grinned... happy to focus on something positive for a few minutes. "You got a girl? Good for you, Capelli."

"Of course I got a girl, Taggart!" His eyes flashed with a dark look. "We just don't get to see too much of each other... but she sent me pictures of her... you know, to keep me... busy when we're not together."

"Oh?" Taggart tried to ease the mood. "If they're 'those' kinds of pictures... you might not want to keep them here at the station, because-"

"How about you let me worry about what I keep in my desk... and you worry that you can't solve a simple assault case, huh?"

Taggart didn't move when Capelli pushed back from his desk and stalked away. Something was under the other man's skin and it wasn't good. Capelli had never been a 'good' guy. Sure he always had Taggart's back but he always made it seem like a competition. Who saved who the most... who gave who the most information.. it was tiring sometimes.

-Kelly's-

AJ sat down at the bar next to Jason. "You called?"

Jason set down his coffee cup. "Yeah."

His nerves almost getting the better of him, he sat down on the stool beside his brother. "Look, Jason, I want you to know-"

"What has you so wound up?" Jason gave AJ a worried look. "Since I got back from that trip for Sonny... it's like you've been hiding from me."

AJ tried to laugh it off. "Sounds like you're getting paranoid there, brother... maybe you ought to get into a business that's a little less... dangerous?"

"Sounds like you're avoiding the point of this little meeting."

"Which is?" AJ took the coffee cup the waitress brought him.

"Emily said you might need someone to talk to."

AJ sulked. "Maybe I just need a sister who minds her own business."

"So what's going on with you?"

AJ didn't know what to say. He wanted to tell Jason about his night with Carly. He wanted to lay it on the table and not look like a complete jerk. Things like this... NEVER stayed a secret long. It hurt so much because not only did he let himself down. He had actually started to forge a relationship with his brother. He didn't want to lose that.

"I messed up." He looked at Jason. "I messed up... just a HUGE mess up."

Jason almost smiled. "That's in our genes... isn't it?" His cell phone rang and Jason picked it up. "Morgan." He listened, nodding a couple of times. "Okay, well take care of her. I'll be right there." Shutting off his phone, Jason stood and tossed a large bill on the counter for their coffees. "Come on... there's someone you should see."

AJ wanted to run in the other direction. He had a sinking feeling that it was Carly. Still, even though he wanted to avoid the confrontation, maybe it would be a good thing. Jason could shoot him and dump him in the harbor and put him out of his misery. "Alright, let's go."

-The Docks-

Elizabeth tucked a leg underneath her body as she turned her sketch pad to catch the last bright light she could.

"Miss Webber, you really-"

"Francis," she sighed, "you really should call me Elizabeth."

He smiled around gritted teeth. "I don't think Jason or Mr. Corinthos would approve."

"But I'm your friend, Francis... not another employee or a stranger." She reached up and tucked a stand of her hair behind her ear. "And as my friend, I think you can use my first name."

"Riiight." He grimaced at the thought. "Anyway... I was just saying that if you'd let me know you're coming down to the docks I can have one of the men come out here and sit with you."

"Sit. With. Me?" She frown at him. "What would he do? Hand me my charcoals? Bring out a lamp for more light?"

"Really, Miss... Elizabeth," he looked around them, "there's always an element of danger here at the docks. I'd be much happier if you let me find someone to sit with you."

She held up a hand in surrender. "Look, I'm not a business concern.. and really, why a coffee importing business has so many suited guards, I'll never know," she sighed, "but if one of the men comes out for a smoke break and I'm here I'll let him pose for me... will that make you happy?"

"Pose?" Francis looked more than a little discomfited. "You mean like in those art classes?"

"Relax, Frannie... if it's you... you can keep your clothes on."

"Please tell me I didn't just hear you proposition one of our guards?"

Elizabeth could hear Jason's laughter and the odd sound was too tempting for her. She turned around to poke fun at him. "Really, Jason, I-" She stopped short... her brain and mouth lost all coherent contact with each other. "AJ."

The two half-brothers were indeed there together, standing at the top of the stairs. Jason in his customary dark cotton t-shirt, jeans and leather jacket. AJ in a pair of dark slacks and an off-white shirt that made his tan very very appealing.

Jason was the only one of them that could talk. "Hey, Lizzie." As he started down the steps he nearly knocked AJ down with a brush of his shoulder. "Are you delaying one of our shipments?"

"Not me," she smiled and pointed to Francis, while she desperately tried to keep her heart's beating to a dull roar in her chest, "Frannie keeps coming out to bug me.. offering me one of your guards as a babysitter, I'm sure you don't pay them babysit, right?"

Jason seemed to consider her words for a moment. "Yeah, I don't think we can afford to have one less guard staring at our thousands of bags of coffee. After all, my brother is perfectly capable of playing babysitter, right, AJ?"

Without another word or a look, Jason walked toward the warehouse dragging Francis with him.

AJ looked at Elizabeth and took in several deep breaths while he waited for her to look up at him. When she did he let go of the breath that caught in his lungs and tried to smile. "Hey, Elizabeth."

She nodded and worried her bottom lip with her teeth.

AJ paled at the sight. The thoughts that entered his head, turned his stomach, made his heart beat faster... it was all because of this amazing woman standing before him. He was screwed six ways from Sunday and then some. How was he going to make it right?


	28. Step 28

Step 28

-The Docks-

AJ didn't have much to say at the moment. Not for lack of trying. He was, to put it mildly, stunned into silence. Jason had tricked him, that much was evident. He hadn't thought his brother capable of being evil, but there was the evidence... right there in front of him.

And she was looking at him with some sort of expectant expression. What she was expecting... he didn't know.

Elizabeth shifted from one foot to the other and swallowed audibly.

"AJ, I-"

"Elizabeth, I-"

They both looked away in different directions and AJ struggled with what to do next.

Elizabeth took control of the silence. "I'm not... I mean... I don't..." she waited for him to meet her eyes, "I don't need a babysitter."

"I know."

"I'm not a kid." Her voice was a tad louder.

AJ nodded. "Yeah, I know."

She raised her chin just the littlest bit. "I can stand on my own two feet."

AJ was just about lost in her blue eyes, but he could hear the demand in her voice... the plea in her expression. She wanted something from him and if it was at all within his power, he was going to give it to her. "No argument here."

She looked in his eyes and read the truth of his words. "Okay. Good. Just as long as we're clear about it."

He took a small step closer. "Elizabeth, about the other day-"

"You don't need to say anything, AJ. I got the point."

"No, Elizabeth," his voice was softer, lower, "I don't think you did." He could see by the turn of her head, the swift intake of breath, that Elizabeth wasn't going to hear him... not easily. "When I came home the other day... I was upset about something I'd done the night before and I wasn't exactly good company."

"And shouldn't have shown up without calling."

He wanted to say she was always welcome, but he'd already proved that wasn't true. At least, on that day. "I was a jerk and I'm sorry, Elizabeth."

She smiled at him, stepping closer. "I'm sorry, too, I-"

"Well look what we have here," Carly's voice fell between them like a wall. "Always happy to see you, AJ." She sauntered down the stairs and stopped beside them, her hand sliding around AJ's elbow. "It's been awhile since we spent any real time together. I was hoping to find you and-"

"Jason's inside the warehouse, Carly."

She pouted at him. "I don't know why you're acting like this, AJ." Carly squeezed his arm. "The last time we were together... we were so close."

AJ pried her fingers off his arm. "Carly," he hissed, "I'm not going to talk about this right now." He slid a furtive glance toward Elizabeth. "I was already talking to-"

"Don't worry about me..." Elizabeth was already backing away toward the stairs, I really need to get home soon."

"I'll drive you,-"

"Thanks but no..." she ran up the stairs and before AJ could run after her Carly's hand snaked out and grabbed his.

"AJ," she cooed at him, "I just wanted to let you know that Jason's planning to be out of town this weekend and-"

AJ shook off her hand and grit his teeth. "Carly... stop." He moved closer, lowering his voice to a harsh whisper between his teeth. "Whatever happened... between us... it is NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN... NEVER."

-Quartermaine Gate House-

Emily watched AJ pace in front of the TV. "You haven't seen her in over a week?"

"I've seen her... and she's seen me, but I haven't been able to get near Elizabeth in over a week. At this point I'm sure she's forgotten my name."

Emily rolled her eyes. "No chance of that happening."

AJ flopped down on the couch and set his feet up on the coffee table. "I don't get it, Em... what did I do to deserve this?"

Emily tucked her knees up under her body and grabbed one of the throw pillows. She wrapped her arms around it and looked at him. "I'm sorry, AJ... this isn't just frustrating for you.. it's frustrating for me too!"

Turning a curious look at his sister, AJ waited to hear more. When she didn't say anything he pressed on. "Em... what are you talking about."

"First, I love you... you know that."

"Yes..."

"And Elizabeth is now probably my best friend in the world-"

"Emily," AJ shifted uncomfortably on the sofa, "before you-"

"And this heat wave is DRIVING ME INSANE!"

Aj coughed behind his hand. "Well- ow!"

Emily glared at him, holding the pillow aloft for another strike. "So with you and Lizzie not talking, it's making my life VERY unhappy... so here's what we're going to do-"

-Quartermaine Lake House-

Elizabeth sat on one of the deck chairs and painted her toenails. It was a quiet moment that left her focused on something as silly as her nails... it was nice to let the trivial things take focus in her life. The sudden September heat wave had everyone's tempers flaring and if it hadn't been for Emily's sudden invitation to the Lake House Elizabeth was sure she and Sarah would have been at each other's throats... more than they normally were.

Sarah and Lucky were in the lake tossing an inflatable ball back and forth while Nikolas swam back and forth across their side of the lake, his powerful strokes cutting through the water as he transitioned from freestyle to backstroke and on through a few more that Elizabeth couldn't name.

"Isn't he amazing, Elizabeth?" Emily sighed as she nudged Elizabeth with her hand.

Rolling her eyes as her nailbrush painted a stripe of red across her toes, she gave her friend a look. "Shhh, Em... he'll hear you."

Emily wrinkled her nose as her friend. He's got the water in his ears, Lizzie, I doubt he'd hear much of anything right now." Emily's grin was electric. "Besides, how could he hear my voice over the beating of my heart."

Elizabeth nudged Emily with her elbow and the two girls giggled. Nikolas Cassadine, a prince as confirmed by Lucky and Emily, was indeed a handsome young man. His regal bearing and dark looks gave him almost an ominous appearance that had most of the girls in Port Charles in love with him. Elizabeth was unmoved. He was polite and even volunteered to drive them all up to the lake when Emily couldn't reach AJ on the phone.

"Then how did you manage to talk about anything in the car?" Elizabeth smiled at the memory of their ride up to the late. Nikolas had driven his new Jaguar and let them all pile in. Emily sat up front to give him directions, easily sinking into the creamy leather seat while Sarah and Elizabeth sat on either side of Lucky in the back. Lucky didn't seem to mind and Elizabeth had just been happy to be invited. It was Sarah who wasn't happy with the seating arrangements and spent much of the ride poking her head up between Nikolas and Emily.

"Well, your sister kind of made that impossible."

Emily sulked a little as Elizabeth capped her bottle of polish. "I'm sorry, Em. I think Sarah's still hung up on Nikolas."

"She certainly seems to hang all over Lucky every chance she gets."

Emily slug an arm around Elizabeth and gave her a hug. "I'm so happy that we're friends now..."

Elizabeth touched her arm and smiled at her friend. "Me too, Emily... I really glad that we-"'

Water sprayed onto both of them as a head popped up over the edge of the dock. Nikolas folded his arms on the worn wooden planks, turning the grey wood a darker shade from the water that sluiced from his body. "Are you two planning on swimming at some point?"

Emily was shocked into silence at the sight of the handsome young man, but Elizabeth shook off the interruption with ease. She had nothing to fear from the boy, prince or not. "Emily, maybe... but not me. I'm perfectly happy here on the dock."

Pushing back a thick lock of wet hair he gave her a curious look. "You're got a bathing suit on, right?"

Elizabeth looked down at the oversized shirt and worn pair of denim jeans that she was wearing. "Yeah."

"Then why are you wearing those clothes?"

"What's going on?" Lucky swam up beside his brother, giving him a wide berth. "Elizabeth, you okay?"

Lucky's expression only darkened with Nikolas recounted his question. "Leave her alone, Nikolas."

The Prince's expression was guarded as he looked up at Elizabeth. "I meant no offense."

Elizabeth waved off the concern as she stood up, quickly shucking her pants and discarding them on top of her bag. "No, really, I'm not upset... I'm just not much of a swimmer." She sat back down knowing that the length of her shirt would cover her down to the tops of her thighs.

"Really, Lizzie!" Sarah swam up between the two brothers and managed to brush up against Nikolas even though there was plenty of room. "What are you talking about?" Sarah shook her head. "We've all had swimming lessons... don't be a drama queen."

Elizabeth shrank back ever so slightly. "You and Steven had swimming lessons at the Country Club when you were little. When I was born we were in Zimbabwe or Kenya and mom and dad were busy with the villagers. There wasn't really a place for me to swim." She looked at Emily with a grimace. "I have a vague memory of our Ayah in India screaming as she dragged me out of a pond. After that I decided that water was NOT my friend if it wasn't in a tub or coming out of some kind of faucet."

"I didn't know you'd been to all those places."

Elizabeth turned on the deck chair and would have all but fallen off of it if not for Emily's steadying hand. "AJ."

He laid his towel over the back of another deck chair and sat down just a few feet away. "Africa? India?"

"We both have." Sarah looked up at him with her eyes widened in what was certainly a pretty look for her. "Our parents were always involved with Medical Missions and that Doctors Without Borders programs. Lizzie's too young to remember much of it." She looked at the tree boys in turn. "If you want to know anything about it, I'd been happy to tell you about it."

Nikolas shrugged. World travel was nothing new to him. With a look over at Emily he smiled. "Come on in and swim."

Elizabeth's lips pressed together in a smile when Emily squealed under her breath. The youngest Quartermaine stood and set her sunglasses down on her chair before she dove in one smooth athletic dive. Lucky gave AJ a long suffering look before he swam off after his brother.

That left Sarah, who saw by AJ's body language that he was focused on her sister. Sarah hauled herself out of the water and stalked toward the lake house.

Turning to watch her sister walk off, Elizabeth felt sure that she'd pay for Sarah's anger later. With a sigh she turned back around and felt her mouth go dry.

AJ Quartermaine was unbuttoning his shirt. She really should look away. She should. Dear God, she really should... and yet... she couldn't.

Beyond the tan and the sleek muscle that had everything to do with a lot of physical activity, there was just something about AJ without his shirt that left her speechless. And when he reached for the snap on his waistband Elizabeth lurched to her feet.

Fleeing from him was already embarrassing, tripping over her own two feet only made it worse.

Realizing that she was heading straight for the water was just icing on the cake.

"Hey, watch out."

A moment later, Elizabeth was pressed tightly against the hard wall of AJ's chest, the cold metal button of his jeans was cold even through the cotton shirt she wore.

"Hey," his hands relaxed their hold on her arms and slowly slid down to her wrists as he leaned down to whisper, "you okay?"

Elizabeth swallowed hard as she looked up into his eyes. "Yeah... I just... I fell over my own feet... stupid, huh?" Her lips were dry and with a swipe of her tongue she eased the tightness.

"I'm just... happy I was here to help." He hands slid lower, twining her fingers with his. "Elizabeth... we need to talk."

She nodded. "I agree. AJ, I-"

A sudden splash of water startled them both. They jumped back away from each other.

AJ was the first to recover and look out into the lake. A large beachball bobbed in the water just off the dock. A few feet away, Sarah Webber was treading water. "Oops... sorry."

As simply as that... the mood was broken. When he turned back to Elizabeth he could only see her back as she retreated into the house, leaving him standing on the deck... all wet. And all alone.


	29. Step 29

Step 29

-Quartermaine Mansion-

Emily climbed into the passenger seat of the Jaguar and smiled at Nikolas. "Hey, thanks for picking me for the party, Nikolas." She looked at him sitting in the passenger seat. "Pirate, huh?" He certainly looked handsome in the tight breeches and billowy shirt open at the neck. Between them on the seat sat a tri-corn hat with a rakish red ostrich plume curving up from a jeweled pin. "Looks good on you."

Nikolas smiled back at her. "Fairy?"

Nodding, Emily's hand fiddled with the hem of her short skirt. "Tinkerbell."

"Ah, I read that book as a child."

Emily flushed a bit. She'd seen the Disney cartoon... she'd never read the book.

"Well," he shifted the car into drive, "I hope you'll save me at least one dance at the party."

One, she thought, try all of them. "Sure." She let out a breath as the car drove through the gate.

-Hardy House-

Sarah stood at the front door, her shoulders slumped in irritation. "Lizzie... either you get down here in the next minute... or I am LEAVING!"

Elizabeth's door slammed shut upstairs. "Okay... okay.. I'm coming." When she reached the bottom of the stairs she saw Sarah's sour look. "What?"

"You're... what, Lizzie?"

Looking down at her layered shirts and her crocheted vest, Elizabeth lifted her hand to her hair and felt the daisies still in their crown amongst her curls. "I'm going to Woodstock, Sarah."

Sarah shook her head. "Where did you get those horrible clothes?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Grams closet." Tired of the third degree, Elizabeth looked over her sister's outfit. "And you?"

Tugging down the neckline of her blouse, Sarah turned around in the a circle, admiring herself in the mirror on the wall, everything from the thigh-high boots, fishnet stockings, short tattered skirt and her over-sized hoop earrings was perfect in her eyes. "I'm a pirate wench."

-Quartermaine Mansion-

AJ sat beside the door, waiting. Reginald pushed Lila's wheelchair into the foyer and quietly left the room.

Tilting her head to see his face she gave a sweet little sigh. "Why don't you go to the community center party, dear?"

AJ straightened up and gave her a smile. "Well someone has to man the door... just in case someone comes up, right?"

"AJ, we've sat beside this door for several years now and not one single child has come up to the house. I think we should acknowledge defeat and you can take the candy to the community center."

Reginald reappeared in the doorway with mugs on a tray. "Cider?"

AJ took a mug in his hand, warming both of them on the surface of the ceramic cup. "Thanks, Reginald." He smiled at Lila. "We'll spend some time together and later, if no one comes... I'll take the candy to the Center."

-Port Charles Community Center-

The room was festooned with crepe paper streamers in orange and black and the DJ in the corner was taking requests, but the kids would have danced no matter what. There were chaperones here and there, staff from community center and a few parents had ventured to waste a few hours of their time with earplugs stuffed in their ears. Emily and Elizabeth were on the dance floor together. Elizabeth leaned closer to her friend and laughed. "He looks so... stiff... just standing there."

Emily looked over at the Prince standing near the punchbowl. He looked remarkably out of place in the throng of teenagers. "Well, it looks like your sister decided to make him feel welcome."

Elizabeth groaned as Sarah sashayed up to Nikolas and leaned in to whispered into his ear.

Nikolas leaned back and turned slightly away. A few moments later, Sarah turned around and stormed off. Elizabeth and Emily threw their arms around each other and laughed.

The music shifted to the next song, a slower number that had the floor clearing and the sidelines teeming with people. When Nikolas walked onto the dance floor Emily took in a shaky breath. "Oh my God, Liz... what is he doing?"

"He's walking towards us, duh!"

"Why?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and stepped away when Nikolas stopped just a few feet away. Even with his billowy shirt he looked remarkable starched and straight-laced but Emily's bright smile when he held out his hand to her, his own answering smile relaxed him a bit. "Would you care to dance?"

Emily took his hand and Elizabeth went to the ladies room to splash some water on her face. She nearly ran straight into Sarah at the sinks. Sarah was dabbing at her eyes with a paper towel.

Elizabeth touched her shoulder. "You okay?"

Sarah's look went from weepy to witch in half a breath. "Happy, Lizzie?" She snatched another paper towel from the dispenser. "Did you come in here to gloat?"

"Gloat?" Elizabeth reached out and took a paper towel, folding it up to make it into a point. She used it to dab at Sarah's cheek and remove the mascara that was running. "Sarah, I'm not here to make fun of you... you're my sister and-"

"And you're the albatross around my neck," Sarah sighed, "not that you're smart enough to know what that means." Sarah looked down at her sister and pushed away her helping hand. "I wish you'd been left to drown in that pool in India," she spat, "why don't you ever stay where you're put!"

"Sarah, what-"

"If you would then you wouldn't have been in the park that night, Lizzie... and if you hadn't been in that stupid park my life wouldn't be a complete mess!"

Elizabeth dropped the paper towel into the wastebasket and ran out the door, pushing through the crowd, registering the shocked looks on some faces as she mumbled apologies. She could barely breathe and soon with the press of bodies around her she stopped, leaning her shoulder against the brick wall... her hand pressed over her heart.

She was sure the music was still playing but she couldn't hear it over the rush of sound in her ears. She recognized the pain in her chest for what it was... panic... pure and simple. She struggled to breathe, thinking of happier moments... and yet she couldn't seem to get enough oxygen in her lungs.

"Hello, Elizabeth."

She shook her head, holding a hand out to ask for a minute.

"A 60's Flower Child?" He laughed. "Just a costume? Or," a hand slipped around her waist and pulled her back hard, "a promise of free love."

Elizabeth gasped. She knew the feel of a man's body... the hard ridge of his arousal pressed up against her... the stench of that particular cheap cologne. She dragged in enough air to scream only to have another hand clamp down over her mouth.

He turned her so she was pressed between his body and the wall, the music thumping loudly around them.

She struggled against his hold, fear lending her strength, but still she was held in his grasp. When her foot connected with his shin he swore in her ear. "Stop it... or I'll drag you out of here." Still she tried to twist and turn in his arms, desperate to get away. "You'll hold still," he ground out his words as one of his hands slid down her body and pulled at her skirt, lifting it up her thigh, "or I'll break your neck."

Elizabeth managed to snake one of her arms out and grabbed at the hand that was holding her mouth closed. She pressed her nails deep into his flesh and scratched.

"Bitch!" he shoved her forward, knocking her head into the wall. As she struggled to see through the stars in her eyes she saw a flash of light off of his clothing. Elizabeth reached a hand up to her head and she pulled it back she saw a blot of bright red blood on her palm. A moment later she was on the floor in a dead faint.

-Quartermaine Mansion-

The garrulous rumble of a motorcycle split the silence of the quiet evening. AJ looked up his cider cup and saw Lila's delighted smile. "How lovely," she exclaimed, "someone to take our candy."

Both grandmother and grandson shared a laugh.

When she Jason bounded up the stairs to give her a kiss she laughed with a free smile. "What are you doing here, Jason?"

He looked into the bowl on AJ's lap and pulled out a candy. "Maybe I was just hungry?"

Lila's look was full of mirth. "Then we'll call for cook."

Jason popped a second candy in his mouth. "Never mind. I just came by to see if Emily needed a ride to that costume party at the Center."

Clapping her hands, Lila looked at both of her grandsons. "Why don't you both go down... take the candy with you and let the kids enjoy it." She pointed at the camera Reginald had left on the chest by the door. "And while you're there, take a picture of Elizabeth and Emily. I'd really like to know how her costume turned out."

AJ smiled and stood with the candy bowl still in his hand. "I'll drive."

- Port Charles Community Center-

When Elizabeth came to, Detective Taggart was hovering over her while an EMT strapped her onto a gurney. "Hey there," he smiled at her, "glad to see you open your eyes." He took her hand to stop her from touching her head. "You've got a big old fashioned knot on your forehead, Elizabeth."

Her eyes swam with tears. "Em... Emily?"

"I'm right here, Liz," Emily took her other hand, "I'm right here."

Elizabeth slowly turned her head to look at her friend, tears streaming down her cheek. "It was him, Emily... he was here."

The EMTs pushed the gurney toward the door and Emily let Nikolas lead her through the crowd in their wake. When they loaded her into the ambulance, Emily turned to look at Nikolas. "I should go with her."

"Yes," he agreed, "you'll be good company for her." He smiled. "When she's well both of you can come out to the island." Emily climbed up beside Liz in the ambulance. Taggart followed and sat beside Emily.

The ambulance pulled out a few seconds later.

Nikolas was waiting for the milling crowd to clear enough for him to move his Jag out of the parking lot. He was moving through the crowd when he saw the headlights of a Mercedes moving down the street. In that part of Port Charles on that night there would only be one person driving it.

Moving closer he waved his hand and jogged up alongside the car.

AJ lowered the window. "Planning on boarding our vessel, Captain?"

Nikolas leaned into the window. "You're here for Elizabeth?"

Jason leaned forward. "And Emily. Grandmother wants pictures of the two of them in their costumes."

The flicker of shadow that crossed Nikolas' face wasn't just from their environment and AJ felt a moment of panic. "What happened?" He turned, looking at the direction the ambulance had gone.

"Elizabeth was knocked out during the dance. I don't know the specifics, but Detective Taggart showed up and he went with Emily in the ambulance with her and-"

AJ already had the Mercedes in reverse as he looked for a place to turn the car around. As he drove, his fingers white-knuckled on the wheel, he muttered under his breath. "Any problem with me breaking a few speed limits?"

Jason shook his head. "Go as fast as you like, AJ... I know how much she means to you."


	30. Step 30

Thanks for all the comments.. if you're commenting as a guest... THANKS, I just wish I could say thank you to each person... and for those that have an account.. thanks for leaving feedback.. I try to send a thank you message to each of you for the reviews. MAHALO/THANKS, Raye

PS very very tired tonight.. if i made a mistake i'm SO SORRY

* * *

Step 30

-General Hospital Emergency Room-

AJ and Jason followed the gurney in, Emily tucked in between them. Taggart was already barking out orders for someone to bag Elizabeth's clothing. He turned to see AJ's stricken expression. "What happened?"

A little bit of the wind was knocked out of Taggart at that moment. "Got a call from the Community Center. One of the kids found her on the floor, blood on her forehead."

"I was... I was... dancing with Nikolas." Emily shuddered and AJ took her in his arms. "It was only a few minutes," she looked up at him with tears pouring down her cheeks, "I swear it was only a few minutes."

AJ nodded. "It wasn't your fault, Emily. I know it wasn't."

"What," she gulped in a shallow breath, "what if she dies?"

"No." AJ voiced a strong denial even though he shook from head to toe. "No she won't."

Audrey and Monica raced into the room, Audrey in the lead. "What happened?"

Emily eagerly accepted Monica's embrace as Detective Taggart explained the situation to Audrey. The nurse nearly collapsed from the news and AJ helped her into a nearby chair. Audrey looked up at the detective. "I told her... we needed to put this behind her... we needed to forget this ever happened," she pressed her fist to her mouth, "why did someone do this to her? Why?"

Detective Taggart was about to answer her when a nurse crossed the room and gave him a large plastic bag. "Her clothes, Detective."

Monica paled as she clung to her daughter. "You don't think that someone... that it happened again?"

"No," the detective didn't sound convinced of his own words, "but we have to hope that if it was the same man... that he left something behind." He looked at Audrey and nodded. "I'm going to find this man... I promise you that."

Audrey's grip on AJ's hand was turning the tips of his fingers white. "But by then," she whispered, "will it matter?"

- Port Charles Police Department-

Capelli found his way to his desk without drawing anyone's attention. The place was a madhouse, as it always was this close to Halloween, and he knew it was his saving grace. Dropping down into his chair he yanked open his drawer and pulled out his first aid kit. There was no way he was going to hospital... not for this.

He looked down at the scratches on his hand, the deep semi-circles where her nails had dug deep into his flesh, the long jagged scratches that brought up blood from his skin.

"She's going to pay for this." He watched the room with furtive glances. "I like it a little rough, but..." he hissed as the antiseptic swab touched the wound. "Damn it!"

-General Hospital Emergency Room -

Bobbie crossed to Audrey and sat down beside her. "Audrey? The doctor just finished his exam and-"

"Tell me."

Looking around at the assembled group, Bobbie hesitated. "Maybe you'd like to talk somewhere a little more-"

"Bobbie! Tell me what happened to my granddaughter!"

"They're waiting for a room and a brain scan, they're worried about a concussion... there was a lot of swelling. That's the only visible wound." Bobbie reached out and touched Audrey's knee. "They've done a thorough exam, Audrey, and there's no sign of sexual assault."

Audrey wept openly as she leaned on AJ. The young man let out a relieved sigh and met Emily's eyes.

"Thank God," Emily gave her mother a tight hug.

Bobbie stood. "Audrey, let me take you to see her. She's in exam room four."

Audrey shook her head. "I need to wash my face," she explained, "I can't see her looking like this. She'll be so worried." She looked up at AJ and nodded. "You go... she'll want to see you."

AJ looked at the Detective. "Do you... need to come with me?" He swallowed. "Do you need to take her statement?"

Taggart was torn. "She didn't say much in the ambulance, I'd rather get this over with as soon as possible."

-Outside Kelly's -

Tony Jones caught up with Carly, nearly scaring her when he stepped out of the shadows. "Where have you been?"

She smacked his arm. "Don't you ever scare me like that, ever!"

He held up his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry, Carly... I'm sorry, baby, but I've been missing you and you," he gave her a pointed look, "have been avoiding me."

"Look, Tony," she shook her head, "I was just hoping you'd get a clue," she hissed at him, "it's over between us, Tony."

When she turned away to leave, he grabbed her arm and hauled her up against him. "Don't you talk to me like that!"

"You're hurting me, Tony, stop it."

"I'm not some toy, Carly." He nearly growled at her. "You can't just jump in my bed and then leave me when you're done. You're not going to get away with it."

"And you're going to end up in jail if you don't let me go!"

Tony stepped back from her, his eyes dark with anger. "You don't know who you're messing with, Carly. I'm a highly respected doctor at General Hospital... a neurosurgeon... and who are you?"

Folding her arms over her chest, Carly glared at him. "Me?" Her smile twisted her lips. "I'm your step daughter, you ass!" She turned her back and walked into Kelly's letting the door bang shut behind her.

- General Hospital-

AJ sat beside Elizabeth's bed, holding her hand. Taggart stood in the doorway watching her still form for movement. "Brings back memories... it's just the wrong hospital."

"Fat lot of good I've done her." AJ watched the monitors for any sign of activity beyond the monotonous beep beep of the heart monitor. "I never thought we'd still be looking for the man that did this... or that he'd put her back in the hospital."

Taggart lowered his head, his chin touching his chest. "I've been so frustrated with this whole thing," he moved closer, "we've used every tool, ever available database, and nothing. Not a damn thing."

"Emily?" Elizabeth's voice whistled out from between her lips. "Where..."

"Elizabeth?" AJ stood, his hands still holding her's gently. "Elizabeth, what's wrong?"

"Emily," she gasped, half sitting up in the bed, "is she okay?" She met AJ's eyes with a question. "I remember she was in the ambulance... was she hurt?"

Detective Taggart stepped up beside her. "Emily is fine... she came to the hospital with you in the ambulance to keep you company. She's with her mother outside."

Elizabeth relaxed against her pillows. "Thank God... I was so afraid."

Taggart ignored AJ's pleading eyes. "Elizabeth, I need to know what he did... what he said... anything you remember."

When she finished telling them the story, she looked down at AJ's hands holding hers and then up into his eyes. "What he didn't say," she continued, "but what I heard in his voice... felt in his hands when he touched me... he's not... done with me... not yet." She used her free hand to swipe at fresh tears. "So, I need you to keep Emily away from me."

AJ shook his head. "She's not going to agree to that, Elizabeth. Emily is-"

"Your sister, AJ... your little sister... and I know you love her. Even if she's adopted... you care for her more than Sarah or Steven care for me... and I'm their blood relative!" She squeezed his hand between hers. "I need you to do me this favor, AJ... I don't think I could stand it if something happened to her because of me."

He thought about it for a moment. "Fine." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Fine, but that doesn't mean-"

"Elizabeth! Dear sweet, Elizabeth..."Audrey swept into the room and sat herself down on the edge of Elizabeth's bed. "Sweetheart, they're going to take you in for tests." She reached out a hand but couldn't touch the swelling on her head, too afraid to cause her more pain. Audrey stood there between Elizabeth and AJ when the orderlies came in and moved Elizabeth she stayed behind to talk to the two men. "Detective Taggart," her tone set them both on edge, "I appreciate your assistance in this matter, but from now on I would appreciate it if you would leave Elizabeth alone. If you find someone, then we shall help you in any way possible, but until then... please leave her alone."

"Mrs. Hardy," the Detective countered her argument, "this is proof that Elizabeth is in danger. We need to keep a close watch on her."

"I... yes, I, will keep a watch over my granddaughter. I realize now that the hours that I work at the hospital have created a problem. I promised her parents that I would watch out for her.. and I will." She straightened her spine and gave the detective a decidedly chilly look. "I'm taking a leave of absence," she explained, looking at AJ, "until I'm sure that Elizabeth is safe and making better choices for herself," she added, "I will return to work. And," she made her point directly to the young man standing to her right, "you may continue you friendship."

If there was one thing that AJ had learned throughout this entire struggle, it was knowing where the line was.. and when to cross it. Elizabeth's grandmother had reached the end of her line... she was tense and cold.. and if he was honest, he didn't blame her all that much. Elizabeth... and her family had been through hell. Fighting with Audrey in Elizabeth's hospital room was the last thing he needed to do if he ever wanted to forge a good relationship with Elizabeth. "Mrs. Hardy," he cleared his throat, "I really... care for Elizabeth and I want you to know that I will be there for her... when she needs me... all she... all you have to do is call."

Her expression brooked no argument. "As long as you remember that... and keep your distance."

AJ caught Taggart's eye and saw the subtle nod of the Detective's head. "Yes, ma'am."

-General Hospital Emergency Room-

When Detective Taggart and AJ returned to the waiting room, the policeman looked over at Jason sitting against the wall with Emily asleep on his shoulder. "I'm going to kick myself for even thinking this... let alone mentioning it to you." He saw AJ's confusion. "Do you think your brother will do you a favor?"

Emily sat up, suddenly awake when Jason shifted.

"Why don't you ask me yourself."

The detective only half-rolled his eyes. "You've got guards enough to guard twice as many warehouses as you own," he began, "and that's if you were only guarding against petty thieves and criminals. So why don't you lend a few to Elizabeth."

Jason's newfound ease with AJ didn't extend to the detective. "I'm not-"

"Stuff it," Taggart nodded to Emily to explain his unusual phrasing, "I'm not expecting you to admit to anything, Morgan... just do your brother a solid and protect his girlfriend."

Emily, finally caught up to the topic openly beamed and clapped her hands together. "Girlfriend... even the Detective knows it, AJ."

Her brother didn't answer, he was looking at Jason... waiting to hear what the younger man had to say. "I'll pay you for their hours, Jason... anything."

The cringe in Jason's expression spoke volumes. "I'll pretend you didn't say that." Jason moved off to make a call and Emily hugged AJ tightly around his middle. "She'll be fine, AJ.. you'll see."

The detective adjusted the evidence bag under his arm and started for the exit. "We'll get him... don't you worry."

'It's too late,' AJ thought as he held Emily tightly against his side, 'all I do is worry about her.'

-GH MRI Lab-

Elizabeth barely heard the techs talking over the speaker. They were rambling on and on about who they were dating... what shifts they wanted... and who had to die before they got a promotion. Elizabeth's headache had only gotten worse even with the drugs they gave her, so she concentrated on anything to keep her from screaming.

His voice was in her head, trapped there like a feral animal, and she needed it gone... need the smell out of her nose... the feel of his hand on her thigh. She wanted to get rid of everything that had happened that night since he'd grabbed her.

But it wouldn't go away.

*FLASH*

Elizabeth lifted her hand to shield her eyes.

*FLASH*

*FLASH* Elizabeth brought up her second hand.

"Hello?" She heard the confusion in the voice. "You need to stay still in there, please."

Elizabeth squeezed her eyes tightly closed. "If you'd turn off that light, I'd be happy to just lie here."

"Light?" The tech leaned to the side to look in the room. "It's the same lights we had on when you started the test. Please, Miss Webber," she huffed over the speaker, "lie still."

Dropping her hands back to the table, Elizabeth struggled to remain still.

The flash of light she'd seen... it had been some kind of metal disc on someone's costume... or

Elizabeth saw the image in her head, her eyes squeezing shut, her hands reaching up to press at her temples.

"Miss Webber," intoned the tech, "please stop or we'll have to do this all over again."


	31. Step 31

_*yes, I'm about to mess with Elizabeth's birthday... don't sue me.. i have NOTHING to give*_

* * *

Step 31

The first few days of November bled into weeks. Elizabeth spent every minute indoors at the Hardy House. Every. Damn. Minute.

She was fairly certain she was going to lose her mind.

Nearly every 15 minutes a shadow would cross the front window... left to right... and then right to left in the second half of the day. A guard. Some guy in a decent suit, the jacket cut large enough to hide the weapon tucked into the back of his pants waistband. Audrey had adapted well to the new addition... probably too well. She made coffee for them every morning and encouraged Elizabeth to make brownies for them.

Sarah, on the other hand, rarely spent any time at home. When she was there, her eyes held only contempt for her sister and her "jailers."

Elizabeth didn't say anything to her sister, feeling that it was her penance to do... to keep quiet and let her sister make her little digs. If it made Sarah feel better... then fine. Looking over at the phone, Elizabeth willed it to ring.

Lately, AJ had taken a job at ELQ. He was working in a number of different offices, learning the ropes from the bottom up. He rarely had time to call... or so he said.

She shook off the anger... the jealousy. It wasn't fair of her. How long had AJ been there at any time of the day or night for her. She'd taken too much of a toll on his life and now that he was working toward his future she had no right to get mad at him.

She had every right to get mad at herself. Looking down at the pile of pamphlets that her grandmother had brought home she picked one out of the stack from the middle. Then another. And another. Every single one of them was for an out of state school.

-General Hospital-

Carly had finally figured out what she was looking for. Loitering outside of the Med Lab at General Hospital, she was waiting to find just the right person. The elevator down the hall opened up and she ducked behind a food delivery cart. She managed to peek through the slats and recognized Detective Capelli. He pushed open the door and she crept out from behind the cart, leaning forward to listen at the crack in the door.

"Look, Detective, like I told you before... I'm clean now."

"Now," Capelli scoffed, "but I've still got the goods on you for possession with intent to sell so shut up, Franklin, and listen good."

There was a suspicious swipe of sound and a smack like something had been set down on the counter. "What's this?"

"That is your 'Keep out of Jail' card, boy." Capelli laughed... a soft, quiet chuckle that rolled chills down Carly's back. "I know you've got that job at the Crime Lab. Tonight... you're going to get a request. Something from Taggart. When he asks you to check DNA... you're going to use this sample."

"You tryin' to frame somebody?" She could hear the hesitation in the man's voice. A moment later she heard a soft gasp of pain. "Let go, you're hurting my arm!"

"I'll hurt a lot worse if you don't just shut up and do what I'm telling you." Capelli sighed. "Besides... the man you're going to fake the match to is more than happy to do it. I got him on murder... rape is a different thing... he'll enjoy the bragging rights in prison... so just do it, Franklin."

"Fine... fine..."

Carly had meant to step away sooner, but she'd been so caught up in listening she didn't hear the door open. When she saw Capelli's face looming over her she tried to run but he caught her arm in his hard grip. "Curiosity killed the Kitty Cat..." his expression was hard... cold. "Remember when we met, Carly?" He didn't wait for her to answer. "That cold night down on the docks. You were so eager to sell yourself for some money..."

"Don't," Carly's skin crawled at the memory, "I put that behind me."

Capelli leaned forward, sniffing along her skin. "I could have charged you that night... arrested you like the little whore you are."

"Instead," she nearly spat the words at him, "you dragged me back to your car."

"Dragged?" Capelli raked his teeth against the lobe of her ear. "You were hot for it and you got your money." He leaned back and smiled at her. "If I wanted to, I'd take you down the hall to some supply closet and enjoy a couple of minutes in the dark with you... but I'm moving up in the world... got myself a nice girl now."

"A nice girl," Carly scoffed before she could stop herself, "who would let you-"

"Let?" Capelli narrowed his gaze at her as a muscle ticked in his jaw. "I take what I want... and don't you forget it."

-ELQ Headquarters-

AJ wanted to smack his head against the wall. The last week had been hell. Ever since he'd taken the job at ELQ he'd wondered if it was all some attempt to keep him busy.

Bob Turner knocked on the doorframe. "You have a few minutes?"

Nodding, AJ straightened up a bit and crossed the room. "Yeah, sure... what do you need?"

Bob handed him a stack of papers that looked like a small forest just died. "I need you to look over these contracts and give me your thoughts on them," Bob looked at the clock. "Before you leave tonight."

AJ followed the man's gaze to the clock. It was already 4pm. "Yeah, sure... happy to."

Bob gave AJ a hardy pat on the back. "Good man, AJ. I knew I could count on you."

-Carlson's Liquor-

Taggart looked down at the note in his hand. An anonymous source called into the police tip line letting them know that there was a guy getting drunk behind the liquor store and that he'd been talking... bragging about a rape.

The note sitting in his hand, Taggart looked across the street and saw the man behind the store, staggering back and forth, waving his hand as he went, making a piece of paper in his hand flutter. His other hand hefted a bottle of cheap Scotch to his lips.

Grabbing his cuffs from the seat, Taggart got out of the car and crossed the street.

The young man saw him coming. The broad shoulders beneath the cheap suit coat said the man worked out. The over use of hair care products made him look ridiculous. The lewd comments he was muttering to himself were disgraceful.

Taggart flashed his badge at the man. "We got a call about you disturbing the peace."

"Well," the man drawled, "you're disturbing my drunk... my drink... drinking. So I say we're even."

"Come on, we're going to the station."

That was when he saw the first flash of fear. The man looked around for a way out. Found none and still, he looked ready to bolt. "Look, I've been warned, okay?"

Taggart held up his cuffs. "You come on your own... or you come the hard way."

When the man tried to run past him, Taggart grabbed him by his collar and dragged him down to the ground, scraping the man's knees on the asphalt. It only took a few moments to cuff him and shove him in the car. Shutting the door on the drunkard, Taggart started to walk around the front of his car and stopped. The paper the man had in his hand earlier was face down in a muddy puddle. Taggart bent over and picked it up, turning it over in his fingers.

His blood ran cold.

The paper... was a picture... of Elizabeth Webber. Laughing at something. Pretty even with the deep shadows under her eyes. Pretty even with way she held herself in a protective embrace. It was sick... seeing this picture... knowing that it had been taken when she wasn't looking. When she was trying to move on.

Leaning down toward the window he cracked his fist against the glass and welcomed the pain. The man inside sat back in fear.

"That's right asshole, you better be afraid!" He smacked the picture against the glass. "You tell me about her... you tell me right now!"

"She... she's pretty."

"Don't f*ck with me, boy, why do you have this picture?" He screamed at him. "Tell me why you have her picture!"

The man could only stare back at him.

"Alright then... we do this the hard way." Taggart got in the driver's seat, dropping the picture down beside him on the chair. "I'm taking you down to the Crime Lab, ass-hat. You're going to get your DNA tested. And I swear to God, if you hurt that girl, you're going to have a whole line of people waiting to shoot you right where it hurts."

-Hardy House-

They were nearly done with dinner when the phone rang. Audrey's rule meant the phone went unanswered until the dishes were cleared. Elizabeth chewed another bite of the casserole and avoided Sarah's angry looks. The phone stopped ringing a moment later.

Then, a phone started ringing outside.

Audrey set down her fork nearly in unison with Elizabeth and Sarah slumped in her chair.

Just as Elizabeth swallowed there was a knock at the door. "Mrs. Hardy? That was Detective Taggart."

Elizabeth stood slowly as Audrey rushed to the door. She swung it open and looked at the tall man outside. "Yes, Mr. O'Brien."

Johnny looked at Audrey and then turned to Elizabeth. "He wants you to come down to the station."

Somehow she put one foot in front of the other and made it to the door. It wasn't until Johnny put her coat over her shoulders that Elizabeth even remembered she needed one. "Did he say why?" The hope was written on her face, the tears collecting on her lashes. "Did he say why?"

Johnny shook his head. "Just said to bring you there."

-Jake's Room 2-

Carly turned over and looked down at Jason as he slept beside her. She replayed the events of the night over in her mind. The conversation she'd overheard between Detective Capelli and that lab tech. The man could be bought. That much was obvious.

She leaned back and smoothed her hand over her stomach. It was still flat... for now. Pretty soon she was going to figure out what she needed to do. She needed to have a plan in place... and a back up.

Pulling back the blanket that Jason had drawn up over them she slid her hand down his chest and into the waistband of his boxers.

He was awake a moment later. "Carly..."

He rolled her underneath him pulling up the hem of her nightshirt as they moved. "It's late so this can't take long."

"Good," she arched against him and sighed, "then let's get started."

Jason leaned up on his elbow and reached for the box on the night table.

Carly knocked his hand away. "I thought you were in a rush, Jason... come on... just once."

He ignored her and pulled a condom from the box. "Rules, Carly."

He ripped open the packet, but before he could take it out she snatched it from his fingers and dropped it into the glass of scotch she'd left on the night table.

"Damn it, Carly."

She looked down at the hand he'd latched on to her wrist. "Come on, Jason... let me have a little fun."

"I'm tired, Carly."

His phone rang and he rolled off of her to snatch it off the table. "Morgan." He listened intently while Carly sat up to glare at him. "I'll be right there."

-ELQ Headquarters-

AJ came back from the bathroom, pressing a wet towel to his face, trying to keep awake. He sat down hard in the chair and leaned back. He probably had another twenty contracts to go through before he could leave. Looking at the time he knew it was probably too late to call Elizabeth. He missed the days that he could stop by the house.

He missed watching TV with a box full of tacos between them on the couch.

He missed her laughter when he tried to tell a joke and failed miserably.

He missed being around her.

A muffled ring from somewhere beneath the pile of paperwork caught his attention. Shuffling the papers around he managed to locate it. "AJ, what-" he listened while his hand reached for his coat and then his keys. "Yeah, yeah... I got it... I'll be right there."


	32. Step 32

Step 32

-Port Charles Police Department-

For once... Audrey Hardy was a rock for Elizabeth. Clutching her grandmother's hand she entered the Police Station and was shown to a room where she could look at the suspect through a large pane of silvered glass. Guarding her granddaughter she gave Taggart a cautious look. "Should Elizabeth see him? Won't she need to make an identification?"

Taggart shook his head. "Elizabeth didn't see much. The darkness... shadows... she didn't see much but we do have DNA. We're just holding onto him until the results come back from the crime lab. They're rushing results to us within the hour."

Elizabeth approached the two-way mirror and watched the man sitting at the table. He was anxious, one leg bouncing up and down as he picked at his nails. His gaze slipped to the door over and over as if he was waiting for it to open up.

"Elizabeth," Audrey approached her from behind, softly touching her shoulder, "sweetheart." Her granddaughter didn't look up at her. "Sweetie... we don't need to be here. If the tests are a match... you don't have to be here, we can wait at home."

"No." She shook her head back and forth. "No... I'll wait. I've waited this long... I need to know."

Taggart heard her determination. "Then why don't I show you to another room... you can sit with your grandmother and I'll bring you some hot chocolate." He saw her watery smile and nodded. "Alright, why don't you come with me."

-Port Charles Police Department Lobby-

The policemen walking around gave a wide berth to the lobby once word got around that Jason Morgan, Sonny Corinthos' hired hitman was standing just inside the door.

Completely at ease, Jason waited for word. He'd arrived less than 10 minutes after he got the call and after he'd set his guards outside the front door he'd gone in and waited. A young officer stepped up to him and nodded. "Something you need, Mr. Morgan?"

Jason spared him a glance. "Information."

The officer swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing erratically. "Wha-what kind of infomation?"

"A friend of mine was called down here tonight. I just want to make sure she's safe."

"Fr-friend?" The officer was fighting his own instinctive fear. "If I had a name, maybe I-"

The door behind him burst open and Jason didn't even bother to look. His men would only have let one person through without announcing him.

"Where's Elizabeth Webber?" AJ was half out of breath with worry. "I need to know where she is."

The officer looked from one blond man to the other and swallowed again. "I'm not allowed to confirm or deny-"

AJ shoved past the officer and moved into the main room of the Police Department, Jason barely a step behind. They caught sight of Detective Taggart coming out of one of the interrogation rooms.

"Is he in there?" AJ's heart thundered in his chest. "Is the bastard in there!?"

Taggart held up his hands. "AJ... AJ! I need you to calm down."

"Calm?" AJ's voice hissed through his teeth. "You tell me you've got the guy that probably... that probably..." he couldn't seem to say the word, "and you tell me to be calm?"

"Did he confess?"

Jason's question might have elicited a snide remark from Taggart at any other time, but not at that moment. "Not quite. He's been talking about... stuff. General comments. We picked him up on a tip and when I got there... it was something he had with him that made me bring him in." Taggart looked around the room and seeing it nearly empty he crossed to his desk and opened the file folder. Sealed in an evidence bag was a snapshot of Elizabeth.

AJ, suddenly weak in the knees, leaned on the desk. "That's from the lake house, Jason." He almost met his brother's eyes over his shoulder. "Emily took her up there to get her mind off the heat." AJ shook his head as he gazed at the picture. "It took her hours to get the courage to let anyone see her in that swimsuit."

Bile rose up in his throat as Jason turned the bag to see the image. "He had to be close by. There are too many obstructions nearby for someone to hide with a long-range lens." Leaning closer to AJ, Jason murmured. "Don't worry... if this is the guy, AJ... he'll pay."

Taggart turned on his heel. "I didn't hear that."

The phone rang on Taggart's desk and the detective moved quickly to answer it. "Yeah... yeah... this is Taggart." He looked up at AJ and Jason as he listened to the caller. "You're sure. Compared the DNA twice?" He nodded again. "Write up the report and send it to me and the DA's office. Thanks."

-PCPD Waiting Room-

Elizabeth looked up when she heard the phone ring in the next room. Standing up she accepted Audrey's hand to hold as she moved toward the door. Together they stepped into the main room and met Taggart's gaze. He gave her a nod. "The tests came back. It's him."

Pressing her hand to her chest, Elizabeth let out a breath. "Thank God." Audrey tucked Elizabeth against her side and pressed a kiss to her temple. As Taggart moved off toward the interrogation room, Elizabeth heard the sound of her name and turned. "AJ." Pulling away from her grandmother, Elizabeth quickly worked her way through the maze of desks. AJ met her after she's managed a few feet, his arms circling her body in a gentle embrace. "They caught him, AJ." She felt his lips press a kiss to her neck. "They got him."

"Yeah... and now you're safe." He hugged her tighter and she felt a laugh escape past her lips. "You're safe."

The door opened and AJ moved between her and the interrogation room. She could see around him her hand on AJ's back. Together they watched Taggart walk the suspect out of the interrogation room, the man's hands secured behind his back in cuffs.

She looked at him. Really looked at him. His rumpled clothes and his slicked back hair. She saw his smirk and his dark laughing eyes.

Taggart tugged him along toward booking, but the man stopped short, his eyes watching her with interest. "Hello, Elizabeth."

"Don't talk to her." AJ's tone was strained. "Just shut up."

"You looked really good in that bathing suit at-"

AJ and the suspect went down in a heap, knocking Taggart to the side.

"AJ, wait... stop!" Elizabeth tried to reach AJ's side, but Audrey pulled her back.

Jason was able to grab a hold of AJ, bodily pulling him off of the suspect who yelled bloody murder at the injustice. A uniformed policeman rushed in and turned around at a look from Taggart.

The suspect tried to kick at AJ but Taggart pulled him back. The suspect growled out loud. "He hit me!"

Taggart hauled the man to his feet and gave him a warning look. "You hurt his girl, asshole. If you don't shut your trap and keep it shut I'll put you back in the room and forget you in there for the rest of the night and give him the key. Get it?"

Swiping his tongue over a bruised and bloody lip, the suspect nodded. "I got it." He turned to Elizabeth, looking at her shocked expression. His gaze travelled over her body. "Oh yeah, I got it."

AJ lurched forward, but Jason managed to keep a hold of him while Taggart jerked the man toward the back hallway.

Jason waited until the door slammed shut behind them before he let go of AJ's arms. AJ whirled on his brother. "You should have let me kill him."

Quirking up a brow, Jason folded his arms over his chest. "Right. Let you murder him in front of Elizabeth and her grandmother."

The bloodlust gone from AJ's mind he turned around and looked at Elizabeth. Her grandmother was clearly appalled at what he'd done, but what mattered most to him was Elizabeth. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I'm sorry-"

"AJ..." Elizabeth walked up to him, her eyes shining with tears, "you're hurt." It wasn't until she touched his cheek that he realized he was bleeding. She pushed gently on his shoulder and he sat down in a chair. Reaching into her purse she took out a tissue and pressed it gently to his cheek. The pain was sharp, but the look in her eyes eased the pain considerably. "How much pain are you in?"

AJ took hold of her hand and removed the tissue from it. "Elizabeth," he sighed, "how are you feeling?"

The question... or perhaps thinking of an answer shook her as if the floor beneath her feet had moved. When her knees weakened he held her in his arms and when she leaned her head on his shoulder he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Jason," Audrey moved slightly closer to the man, yet still left ample room between them, "I want to thank you for having some of your men... look after my granddaughter."

He nodded. "Not a problem."

She seemed to be waiting for him to say something. And Jason, for all of his business savvy with criminals, he had no clue what would make the woman happy.

"I'm sure," she reasoned, "that you'll inform them that they are no longer needed."

Jason's gaze turned to Elizabeth and then back to her grandmother. "A few more days-"

"No," Audrey's voice sharpened as her volume rose a little. She looked at her granddaughter, held perhaps a little too closely by the elder Quartermaine son. "Elizabeth needs her life to go back to normal as soon as possible." She crossed to Elizabeth and took her hand, drawing her away from AJ. "I think you both realize how trying this has been for our family. I'm sure your family has had enough of the strain and worry caused by this... chapter of Elizabeth's life and I hope that you'll both understand how grateful we are." She moved toward the door, her hand wrapped possessively around Elizabeth's. "Now, I have to get Elizabeth home and to bed. Goodnight, boys."

AJ wanted to say something. Wanted to stop Audrey and Elizabeth.

But there was something that kept him from arguing with the woman.

Perhaps it was the set of her jaw. Or the cold snap in her eyes. Both Jason and AJ had seen such looks from Tracey and Monica... and as they watched the door close tightly behind the two women, AJ looked over at his brother and sighed. "I think we were just dismissed."

Jason smiled the littlest bit. "I think so." He waited for a moment, watching the odd play of emotions on his brother's face. He didn't understand many of them, but he could see the tension in his shoulders, the pinched press of his lips, or the slight shake of his head. "Mrs. Hardy wants us gone out of her life."

"That seems to be what she's saying."

Jason nodded and looked over at his brother. "You planning to stay away?"

AJ's lips spread into a wide grin. "Nope. Mrs. Hardy will just have to be a little disappointed in my ability to follow directions."

"That's what I thought you'd say." Jason nodded at the door. "I'm sure Emily's waiting to hear the news."

AJ nodded. "Then let's go and tell her."

-On the next episode-

Everyone makes plans for Elizabeth's birthday. Sweet Sixteen.


	33. Step 33

In the last episode - A man was taken into custody when his DNA sample matched the evidence from Elizabeth's rape kit and Audrey thinks her granddaughter's life can go back to normal.

Step 33

-Wyndham's Department Store-

Emily added another dress to the pile. "Try this one."

"Oh my God, Em!" Elizabeth only half pretended to stagger under the weight of the clothes. "I only need ONE dress."

"Yeah," Emily giggled as she pushed Elizabeth toward the dressing rooms, "you'll have to try on a few to find the one."

Elizabeth stared at the pile in her arms. "Looks like you think I'll need a dozen..." she set the pile on the counter and smiled at the attendant. "Hi, I'd like to try these on."

The woman looked at her with more than a hint of aggressive curiosity. "I'm not sure that we- Oh, hello Miss Quartermaine."

Emily rolled her eyes at the woman. "Now, Miss Carter, you weren't about to give my friend a hard time, were you?"

"Oh no, Miss Quartermaine," she simpered, "I was just about to show her to one of our largest changing rooms, especially if you are going to be with her."

"That sounds really great, Miss Carter. I'm sure you were going to offer to carry them for her, right?"

"Em," Elizabeth whispered, "I can carry them for-"

"It's all part of the Wyndham's customer service."

The older woman's mouth pinched tight at the corners of her smile. "Yes... it's all about customer service."

After the woman carried the clothes into the changing room and left, Emily flopped down on one of the plush chairs and laughed.

Elizabeth stared at her friend. "What was that all about?"

Emily grabbed a dress from the table. "Try this one first." She sighed. "The first time I came in Miss Carter gave me all kinds of trouble thinking I was going to steal something... it took my mother reading her the riot act and showing her the authorization for the Quartermaine charge account for Miss Carter to apologize... a LOT."

The dress in Elizabeth's hands was a dark green and when she held it up she didn't like the way it made her skin look. "Nope."

"Okay," Emily took the first away and handed her another one, black this time, "how about this?"

"Black? For my birthday?"

"Nope, guess not." Emily took it back and held up the third. "I'm sure you're going to like THIS one."

Elizabeth held up the yellow dress. "It's not a color I would normally wear."

"But it looks really nice against your skin. Try it on!"

The dress slipped on easily and when she turned Emily helped her zip it up. The knee-length skirt swished around her legs and the soft half-circle sleeves made a similar fluttery-sweep about her upper arms. "I really like it." Elizabeth lifted up the price tag. "Oh wow... never mind."

Emily looked at it and shrugged. "It's yours."

Elizabeth stared at her friend. "Easy for you to say..."

"Yes," Emily agreed, "it is easy for me to say... since my mom and grandmother said to get a dress for you from the Quartermaines."

Biting her lip, Elizabeth worried. "Em... I shouldn't."

"It. Is. A. Present." She gave Elizabeth a hug. "Happy Birthday!"

-Hardy House-

Sarah ran to the living room from the kitchen and picked up the ringing phone. "Hello?"

"Hello, Sarah."

Slumping a little, Sarah avoided the urge to sigh."Hey, Grams..."

"I just wanted to call and talk to Elizabeth about tonight."

"She's upstairs or something, why don't you just tell me and I'll let her know."

"Well, I do have to get back to the Emergency Room. There's been another multi-car accident on the turnpike. I'll be here for hours. Why don't you let her know that we'll have her birthday dinner on another night."

Sarah looked down at her dress. "I'm already dressed, Grams. We haven't been to the Grille in a long time."

"Well," Audrey sighed, "I'm sorry, dear, but I can't help it."

"Fine."

"Please let Elizabeth know that she can pick the date."

"Right," Sarah brightened her tone just to get it over with, "I'll let her know... bye, Grams." She hung up the phone and picked up her purse, opening her dayplanner. She turned the pages up to her contact list. "Elizabeth?" She screamed loud enough to wake the dead. "Don't bother getting dressed up! Grams is working late!" She paused and picked up the phone again, dialing in her friend Terri's number. "Oh, and LIZZIE? Call the Port Charles Grille and cancel the reservation!"

The phone in her hand clicked. "Oh, hey, Terri? I've got the night free... let's go to the movies."

A few moments later she was out the door and walking down the street to her friend's house.

-Quartermaine Mansion-

AJ looked up when Emily walked in and smiled as she flopped down on the sofa. She giggled and put her feet up on the coffee table. "We had so much fun!"

Lila looked up from her tea cup. "I trust you and Elizabeth found a suitable dress for her birthday dinner?"

"Yes! It's totally pretty... and she looks awesome in it." Emily caught the little look on AJ's face. "I told you that you should have come!"

AJ shrugged. "Me, in a women's dress department?" He looked at his grandmother and then back at Emily. "I think she might have been intimidated... trying on clothes with me there."

Emily rolled her eyes and lounged back against the cushions even though her hand was pilfering a cookie from the table. "She would have loved having you there... but then I would have been stuck watching her trying not to get caught and you watching her and trying not to get caught." She shared a wink with Lila. "Come to think of it... yeah, it was much easier this way. I only had to listen to Elizabeth talking about you... on and on and-"

"Really?" AJ picked up a cook, oblivious to the fact that he already had one in his other hand. "She was talking about me?"

"Elizabeth mentioned you the other day when she was here in the gardens." Lila wasn't above a little playfullness of her own. "She was making a drawing of my roses before she works on the painting... and she was wondering how you were." She took a sip of her tea. "And wondering when you planned on stopping by to see her."

AJ set one cookie down and drank the rest of his tea in one gulp. "It would seem really stupid to say that she didn't call me, right?"

Emily sighed... albeit all little true dramatically. "Yeah. It sounds stupid even as a question." She gave AJ a strained look. "Act like a man, AJ. Call her."

"That's kind of what the problem is, Emily." He looked at Lila. "The whole reason why Mrs. Hardy was about to throw me in jail. I'm twenty and she's-"

"Sixteen today." Emily's comment was punctuated when she stuck her tongue out. "And... in a year..." Emily rolled over on her stomach and gave him a pointed look, "she'll be legal."

"Emily," Lila chided her granddaughter, "I'm not sure if this is a topic of conversation we should use at tea."

"We're all family, grandmother," Emily giggled. "And it's not like Elizabeth would be ready for anything 'like that' for some time." She sighed a little, sobering her attitude. "Elizabeth hasn't told her grandmother, but she's still going to see the therapist at Mercy."

AJ let out a pent up breath. "Good."

"She tells her grams that she's with me... and she is," she explained, "I get the driver to take us over there so she doesn't have to spend hours on the bus."

"That's very nice of you, Emily," Lila nodded when Reginald asked her if she'd like another cup of tea. "AJ, dear, I believe that you and I should have a talk amongst ourselves. Emily, dear..."

"Normally," she explained," I would so stay and hear what you're about to say... but since I think I know... and grandmother and I are on the same page... I'll leave."

-Port Charles Grille-

Elizabeth stepped inside and gave her name to the host. "I'm meeting my grandmother, Audrey Hardy, and my sister."

The gentleman looked at the reservation book. "I'm sorry. I don't believe the rest of your party is here, but you're welcome to wait for them." He indicated a couple of plush chairs near the entrance.

"Oh," Elizabeth tried to smile as if she was used to all of this, "thank you." She turned and made her way to the chairs.

-Quartermaine Mansion-

Lila took AJ's hand in one of hers and used the other to cover it. "My dear, I believe that you're worried about your feelings." She gave a pretty little smile. "I see your struggle." She wouldn't let go of his hand even though he tried to take it back. "And I want to say that I see things clearly, even from this chair."

AJ didn't say anything, his mind was in a million places at once.

"What do you feel for her?"

"Feel?" He looked down at the table, gathering his thoughts before he met his grandmother's steady gaze, her eyes so much like his own. "Everything. I know it sounds crazy... she's just sixteen and I'm almost twenty-one... she's never had a boyfriend and I've..." he blushed a little, "and she's been through so much and I-"

"You've stood beside her through everything... you've been her strength... and AJ," Lila gave his hand a squeeze, "I believe she feels the same way too."

AJ leaned forward and gave her kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, grandmother." He quickly moved toward the door.

Emily looked up at him when he walked out the front door. "Hey, where are you going?"

Turning to look at her he explains. "I have to talk to someone."

-Port Charles Grille-

Elizabeth looked at the clock on the wall. Her grandmother and Sarah were both almost an hour late. The host gave her an almost sympathetic shrug as he walked another couple to their table. She felt really really stupid just sitting there.

Picking up her purse she slipped outside. The cold air hit her hard and she shivered down to her shoes. "Well," she sighed, "looks like I'm alone... again..." The wind shifted and she caught the scent of sea-water in her nose. The docks. She was close to the docks. It was as good a place as any to think... since she was never going back in the park... ever.

-Port Charles Grille Parking Lot-

Leaning against the wall, he had to admire the way the dress looked on her. Even under the street light, she glowed.

Elizabeth started to walk toward the harbor and he smiled. "Looks like we'll have a little time together after all." Turning toward his car, Capelli looked at himself in the window glass, pushing his hair back from his face. "Sweet Sixteen."

-Jake's Room 2-

AJ knocked on the door... again and again... until Jason opened it. "Hey."

Jason stepped back. "Come on in."

Pacing into the room, AJ couldn't make himself sit down.

The door closed, Jason leaned against it watching his brother have a little melt down. "Something wrong?"

AJ stopped at the sound of Jason's voice, his eyes looking down at the bed. "I have to tell you something, Jason. Something that you might hate me for, but I need to tell you."

Jason looked at AJ and saw the truth of his words written on his face. "Okay. Talk."

-In the next episode-

Something evil this way comes...


	34. Step 34

In the last Episode -

Elizabeth was all dressed up and had no one to spend her birthday with...

Step 34

-The Docks-

Elizabeth regretted telling Emily she didn't need to go home before dinner. She should have gone, if only to get her coat, but then again, she hadn't wanted to cover up the dress with the coat. So... she would just have to suffer until she got home.

Then again, she sighed, she could still feel the heat in her cheeks from her blush. She'd felt like she was sneaking out of the restaurant like a criminal. She didn't owe them anything for sitting in their chairs, but she still felt like she'd done something wrong. She was paying yet again for something and she didn't know why.

She stopped at the railing, looking down at the dark water just beyond the pier. The Corinthos warehouse was closed so she wouldn't see Francis or Johnny and while she felt a certain sadness at the thought she was glad. She really didn't want to explain to them that she'd been stood up... by her family... on her birthday!

-The Alley-

Capelli watched her as his blood thundered through his veins, blotting out almost all the ambient noise around him. She leaned against the railing, one foot lifting off the floor, the hem of her skirt sliding across her pale and perfect skin.

His mouth went dry...

His palms began to sweat...

He smiled.

-Jake's Room 2-

"Okay. Talk."

AJ heard Jason's words over and over in his head but he was having trouble putting a single thought together to make coherent sense. "I have to tell you something..."

"You said that." The twist of humor on Jason's lips almost coaxed a laugh from AJ. It would have if he didn't feel like such an ass.

"I did." Looking at the bed, AJ swallowed. "I did." He closed his eyes and tried to remember something more of that night. He had sat at the bar... talked to Carly... woke up naked with her in the shower. He had to swallow the bile in his throat. "Oh my God, I did."

-The Docks-

As Elizabeth stood on the edge of the dock a stiff wind blew in from the water and Elizabeth shivered from head to toe, wrapping her arms around herself she suddenly wished she'd asked the host to call her a cab. "Well, alone or not I should be getting home." She turned, a soft smile stealing across her features. "Or maybe, I'll call AJ and see if he can give me a ride home."

-The Alley-

That was NOT what Capelli wanted to hear. AJ Quartermaine. AJ the entitled ass. AJ the rich boy with an attitude. AJ F*cking Quartermaine.

He was not going to lose Elizabeth to AJ Quartermaine.

He'd kill her first.

-Port Charles Police Department-

Some people would describe it as intuition. A cowboy in a Western film might say he felt someone had walked over his grave. Comic book readers would say that something had their 'Spidey Sense' tingling. But, for a man like Detective Taggart who had lived with a badge pinned to his chest and a gun at his side it was a sense that he couldn't ignore.

Tonight, as he sat as his desk he felt something prickle at the back of his neck. His heart, deep within his chest, stopped for a brief second. His hand wrapping around his keys he stood as he tried to catch his breath.

-The Shadows-

He's moved around in the shadows before. He knew how to keep in the corners and move closer when they weren't looking. Girls never really paid much attention to the shadows. They never really looked too closely into the dark. Maybe they knew he was watching... and liked it.

Elizabeth fairly danced along the boards, her dainty shoes scuffing their bottoms as she moved. She was just a few steps from the stairs when he took a quarter out of his pocket, hefting it in his hand for a moment before he tossed it over her head.

-The Docks-

Elizabeth heard the strange thump of sound to her left and turned. "Is there someone there?" Her heart leapt into her throat and cut off her air. "Please... is there someone there?"

The silence was deafening and when she couldn't think of anything else to do, she ran.

-Jake's Room 2-

Jason heard the tension in AJ's voice, saw the cold sweat on his brother's face. "Did something happen to Elizabeth?" Jason was already reaching for his coat.

"What?" AJ shook his head and pushed a hand through his short hair. "No... yes... sort of. I need," he looked at Jason, "I need to clear this up with you first." AJ took one breath to steady himself. "Jason, I sle-"

The phone on his nightstand rang, startling them both. Jason picked it up. "Morgan." He listened, his eyes lifting to meet AJ's. "She's down there by herself?" He pointed at the door. "No. AJ's here with me we'll meet you there."

He set the phone down. "Elizabeth is down at the pier by herself."

"The hell she is." AJ flung the door open and ran down the stairs, Jason hard on his heels.

-The Docks-

Elizabeth ran right into a wall. When she stepped back and shook her head to clear it she saw who it was standing before her. "You're one of the Detectives, right?"

"You don't remember me?"

Pressing her hand to her chest, Elizabeth realized her hand was still shaking from her fright. "Sort of, but look, I'm sorry... I was totally scared there for a moment... I can barely think." She giggled.

"I was the officer who came down to the school when they caught you smoking in the bathroom."

"OH!" Elizabeth blushed and covered her face with her hand. "That was so stupid of me, really, I'm so sorry I-"

"You were such a tease..." his voice deepened as he moved closer, "you in that tight skirt, the black lace bra I could see right through your shirt."

The smile died on her lips as she listened to his voice change. She heard the edge in his tone and her vision darkened. "No."

"Then," he took another step, "Valentine's... you got yourself dressed up just for me, sweetie... and you looked so damn good." He shifted and the lamplight caught the flat of his badge.

The blinding flicker of light dragged her back to the Halloween dance and the man who grabbed her. The flash of light. "Oh, God, no..."

"And now, here you are... waiting to celebrate with me... you're sweet sixteen, Elizabeth." He leaned over her and she smelled the liquor on his breath, saw the saliva strung between his teeth. "And you're about to be kissed..."

-Port Charles Police Department-

Taggart couldn't shake the feeling that he should be somewhere else. And fast.

He looked down at the keys in his hand. His cruiser key was missing. "Damn Capelli!" The other Detective had used the key that morning and hadn't returned it. Walking around to the other desk, Taggart pulled open the drawer. He moved the envelope on the top of the mess to the side as he searched and the over-full envelope fell to the ground, spilling its contents all over the laminate floor.

His skin went cold in a heartbeat.

The pictures that Capelli had been staring at for weeks... were all of Elizabeth Webber. Bending over he fanned the photos out and stopped short. Elizabeth in her bathing suit from the same angle as the other photo. "No!"

The thoughts running through his head made him sick.

All this time... all this time... it was Capelli.

He left the pictures where they were and ran for the door.

-The Docks-

Elizabeth tried to remember what she'd been taught, but as she stared into the eyes of her attacker she couldn't even remember her own name. "Please, let me go. I won't... I won't say anything."

He smiled, advancing toward her, "the only thing you'll be saying... is 'more.'"

Capelli grabbed her shoulders to pull her closer but she brought her foot down on the instep of his foot. The sudden pain stalled him for a moment. She pulled away and turned to run, but her hell caught between the planks of wood beneath her feet and she stumbled.

His larger frame and his forward momentum carried them into the shadows between the left staircase and ornamental planter. She scratched at his face, scoring him along his jaw, before he back handed her... sending her head back into the wall with a crack.

Elizabeth's breath whooshed from her lungs as she struggled to blink away the stars in her vision. "Stop... please. I-"

He covered her mouth with his, swallowing her pleas with his demanding need. He managed to cage both of her hands together in his fist, holding them between their bodies as he reached down for her skirt.

Struggling to turn her head away from his assault she was at a disadvantage, having lost a shoe she had little balance. A moment later that was the least of her concerns, Capelli's fingers grabbed onto the waistband of her underwear and pulled as he tried to force his tongue between her lips.

Elizabeth was drowning in despair, her muscles alternately convulsing and going slack as her mind struggled not to break into a million pieces.

When she had to take a breath she felt his tongue against hers and while the bile rose up in her throat she bit down... hard.

He slammed their bodies against the wall and she gasped in pain, releasing him. "You bitch!" He growled at her. "You're going to regret that!" He raised his hand to hit her and he was suddenly flying backward with AJ's hands fisted in the back of his jacket.

Jason steadied Elizabeth on her feet, but she pushed him away. "Help... AJ..."

He paused for a moment, watching as the two men grappled with each other, each one gaining the advantage for a moment before Capelli got the upper-hand.

Before Capelli could bring his fist down a second time against AJ's jaw, Jason grabbed him around his throat, his arm reaching all the way around until his elbow was wedged under Capelli's chin. The two stumbled back and Elizabeth cried out. "Jason, the water!"

Turning slightly to see how close he was to the edge of the pier, Jason was off-balance when Capelli through his weight backward, driving his own elbow into Jason's stomach.

The younger man fell to his knees, his hands shaking against the wooden planks. Capelli advanced on Jason, intending to push him off the dock, but AJ jumped on the detective's back with a yell.

-The Streets-

Taggart continued to run, his feet had a mind of their own, fear feeding air into his lungs. He knew something was wrong... he knew where to go somehow. He no longer questioned it... he only hoped he'd get there in time.

-The Docks-

Capelli delivered a vicious upper cut and caught AJ's cheek with his fist, just below his eye. AJ crumbled to the ground and Elizabeth ran to his side, wrapping her arms around him as Capelli turned on them.

"You're coming with me, Elizabeth."

"No," she shook her head as she tried to shield AJ from Capelli, "I'm not."

Capelli drew his gun and pointed it at AJ's head. "You want him to live... you come with me."

"I don't think so, Capelli." Jason's voice coughed out the denial. "You're not going to hurt them."

Capelli spared him a glance and saw the barrel of Jason's gun pointed at his chest. "Tough guy, huh?" Capelli scoffed at him. "After I've taken care of him, you're next, idiot." His gaze turned back to Elizabeth and stared at the torn shoulder of her dress. "Then you and I are going to finish what we started."

"Over my dead body!" AJ struggled to sit up, placing himself between Elizabeth and her attacker.

"That was my plan, asshole," Capelli widened his stance and sighted AJ's head down the barrel of his gun.

-The Top of the Stairs-

Taggart arrived just as Capelli's finger started to pull. Taggart pointed his gun at his fellow detective. "Don't do it, Capelli!"

The last thing he saw was Capelli... smiling, his finger bending ever so slightly.

Then...

BANG!

- Next Episode -

Someone's Dead, Someone's Going to Jail...


	35. Step 35

- Last Episode -

The shot heard round the docks...

Step 35

Elizabeth stared at Capelli. As she held AJ tight against her shoulder she watched a rather dark stain spread across the front of his t-shirt, leaving the metal of his badge shining in stark comparison.

Taggart from his position saw the flash from the barrel of Jason's gun and the twitch of impact when the bullet drilled into Capelli's back. "Put the gun down, Capelli!"

"Walk away, Taggart. You've been waiting to take Morgan down. I can do it."

AJ pushed himself up so he could shift in front of Elizabeth, his eyes focused on Jason and Capelli.

Capelli laughed, a froth of dark spittle dotted his chin. "Okay... you do it. I'll take Elizabeth somewhere quiet."

"You're hurt, Capelli," Taggart held the gun on his fellow detective and felt rage burn him up inside. "If that bullet doesn't kill you... jail will. Plenty of men in jail because of you, Capelli."

Elizabeth saw the realization hit the detective and somehow, over the heartbeat thumping in her ears, she heard his exhalation of breath. "NO!"

AJ felt her tense beside him and fear gave him an extra spurt of energy.

Two more shots rang out and Taggart ran down the stairs to survey the damage. He didn't need to turn Capelli over to see the second hole in his back. He turned his head to Jason to pointed the gun up into the air, his other hand up in submission. Taggart kicked Capelli's gun from his hand and stepped over his the man's body to Elizabeth.

"Hey," the detective, knelt down put his hand on AJ's shoulder, "he's not going to hurt you, Elizabeth... he's-"

"Shot." Elizabeth gasped out as she looked up at Taggart.

"Yeah," Taggart sighed, "Jason shot him."

"No," Elizabeth gasped, her hand gripping Taggart's arm as she cried out, "AJ's shot."

Jason dropped his gun and got down on his knees beside his brother. "Here, help me lift him up and see."

Elizabeth managed to help lift AJ off of her, but she felt the warm slick of his blood on her hand. "Help him... please."

Taggart fished his handkerchief out of his pocket and clamped it down on his bicep after they realized that the bullet had gone through his arm. Elizabeth held AJ carefully as they tied the square in place.

The detective looked up at Jason as the first siren could be heard. "Is that gun registered?"

The stone-faced response was telling.

The wheels in Taggart's head started to work double time and Elizabeth looked up at AJ's brother. "I'm so sorry, Jason..."

"I'd do it again," was Jason's only answer.

"Bring the gun over here." Taggart gave Jason no room to argue. "Hurry."

Jason retrieved the gun.

"Wipe off your fingerprints."

Jason wiped it down using his t-shirt and Taggart took it from his hands. Moving over to Capelli, he placed the gun in the detective's hand in several configurations to get his fingerprints all over the piece. He looked up into Elizabeth's stunned eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't figure it out sooner."

He looked up at Jason and as he holstered his own weapon and transferred the gun into his own right hand. With a quick twist of his body he fired a bullet into the harbor. "I found Capelli on the docks attacking Elizabeth and AJ trying to intervene." He looked at Jason. "Capelli shot AJ and I got him to drop the gun. When he tried to get to Elizabeth again, I shot him with his own throw-away piece."

He looked around the docks. "You have cameras here?"

Jason nodded.

"Destroy them.. and the tapes."

They agreed on it in an instant.

The sirens were almost on top of them. Jason looked at Elizabeth. "I'll come to the hospital later."

Elizabeth reached out a hand and took his. "Thanks, Jason... so much."

As Jason ran off into the shadows, Elizabeth pressed her cheek to AJ's forehead. "He's so cold."

Taggart touched Elizabeth's hand. "We'll get him help. Don't worry." A clatter of sound above them in the alley drew his attention. "Detective Taggart, PCPD, I need an EMT crew down here NOW!"

-General Hospital-

Elizabeth walked into the Emergency Room with Detective Taggart's arm over her shoulders, only a step behind the gurney. Monica immediately disappeared with AJ into an examination room, while Audrey confronted her granddaughter. "What is going on, Elizabeth?"

"AJ," she managed a few words, "AJ's hurt."

Audrey looked to the Detective for some answers. "Elizabeth was attacked and AJ came to her rescue."

"And where were you?" Audrey's ire was easy to see but she soon turned on Elizabeth. "What were you doing with AJ?"

"I... I was waiting at the Grille for you-"

"Why did you do that?" Audrey was exasperated. "I called Sarah and told her that I was working late."

Elizabeth was shaken. "I was with Emily at the Mall." She was shaking. "I didn't know."

Audrey saw the rip in her dress and the haunted look in Elizabeth's eyes. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry... I was just so shocked to see you here." She took her granddaughter in her arms and hugged her tight.

Two officers entered in the through the ER doors followed by a man in a suit. "Taggart."

The detective faced them with his head high. "We need to talk to you down at the station."

Elizabeth looked up from her grandmother's shoulders and broke away. "What's wrong?"

The man in the suit ignored her. "We want answers, Taggart. One of our own is dead... killed by another officer." His grin was lethal like a wolf's. "You're going to come with us."

Rushing forward, Elizabeth took the man's arm. "He didn't do anything wrong!"

Shrugging off Elizabeth's hand the man sneered at Taggart. "Hiding behind her skirts, are we?"

Taggart took Elizabeth's hand and drew her off to the side. "Hey... hey... look at me."

She blinked up at him through the tears.

"I'll be fine... you just worry about you... and that man of yours." He smiled. "If you would have told me a few months ago that I would actually like that preppy drunk I would have laughed right in your face." He smiled. "Now, he's sober and one of the best guys I know." He leaned in closer. "We need to stick to our stories and everything will be fine. Okay?"

She nodded and barely whispered out the word. "Okay." She let go of the Detective and watched him walk out the door surrounded by police.

"Elizabeth?"

Hearing Dr. Quartermaine's voice, Elizabeth turned around, a look of utter hope on her face.

Monica leaned out from the exam room. "Elizabeth, he's asking for you."

Rushing past her grandmother, Elizabeth quickly made her way to Monica, giving the older woman a hug before she turned to the bed in the room.

"Hey." His eyes barely open, AJ held out his hand to her.

With a gasp that verged on a sob Elizabeth moved across the room and took her hand in his. "Are you okay?"

She clutched their hands to her chest and laughed. "I'm fine... you," she shook her head, "were shot! How can you ask me..." she laughed out loud. Before either of them knew what she was doing, Elizabeth leaned over and kissed him.

She snapped back a moment later, shock written plainly on her features. "Oh. I'm sorry!"

"Don't." AJ swallowed as his hand tightened on hers. "Don't apologize. I-"

"AJ!" Emily burst in and threw her arms around Elizabeth as her eyes stared at her brother. "Mom called me and told me something about what happened, but I want the WHOLE DAMN STORY!" She leaned over and pressed a kiss on his forehead. "But first," she held up a bag, "Liz, they need your clothes so I brought you the clothes you wore at the Mall today. So let's get you changed!" She drew Elizabeth toward the hallway. "You can tell me everything while you change."

-Public Bathroom at GH-

Emily locked the door and leaned against it. "Okay, spill!"

Elizabeth could barely look up at her friend, but she turned her back so that Emily could unzip the dress for her. Holding her hair to the side, she sighed as she heard the zipper slide down. "I still don't even understand it."

Sliding the dress down off of her shoulders Elizabeth held it together until she heard Emily's gasp. "Look at your arms."

Elizabeth looked up in the mirror and saw the finger marks on her upper arms. Shaking her head she sighed and leaned against the counter. Again. Twice in one year. She'd been attacked twice... and now.. it was on her birthday. "But this time," she murmured to herself, "I wasn't alone."

She turned to Emily and saw the relief in her friend's eyes. "What happened?"

Elizabeth couldn't say. Not yet. "We should wait.." she explained, "it might not be safe to talk about it right now."

"Not safe?" Emily was really curious now. "Okay, Liz... I'll wait... but only because your my best friend and AJ's my brother... I'll wait but you better tell me the INSTANT it's safe!"

Nodding, Elizabeth agreed.

-General Hospital Private Room-

Jason nearly bumped into Audrey Hardy as he headed for AJ's room. The matriarch of the Hardy/Webber family was barely able to contain the tears that threatened to fall, ducking her head as she passed him in the hallway. Jason ran for the door and pulled it open, expecting... something else than the sight that greeted him.

Elizabeth Webber was curled up on an arm chair beside AJ's bed, her hand held gently by his brother. When Jason stepped inside and closed the door, AJ turned to look at him. "Hey, Jase."

"AJ. I just passed Audrey Hardy in the hallway," he pointed back toward the door, "the way she looked I expected you to be dead in here."

"Maybe wishful thinking on her part," AJ sighed as Elizabeth shifted in her sleep. AJ gave Jason a pointed look. "We should keep our voices down.. she just went to sleep right before her grandmother came to visit."

Moving to stand beside the bed, Jason looked at the young woman sitting beside his brother. "You want me to take her home?"

"No," AJ smiled, "Mrs. Hardy is going to take her home tomorrow. She agreed to let her stay here and rest."

"With you?" Jason's eyes were full of confusion. "I thought she didn't want her anywhere near Elizabeth."

"Well," AJ chuckled a little, "she knows with my arm all bandaged up like this that I can't get into any trouble with her... and we had a talk," AJ yawned... a long drawn out yawn that spoke volumes about his health, "I told Audrey Hardy exactly how I felt about her grand... granddaughter."

Jason folded his arms over his chest and leaned against AJ's bed. "And just how do you feel about Elizabeth?"

AJ turned slightly in bed, careful not to bump his injured arm against the side-rail, taking her hand in a firmer grasp. AJ looked down at her peaceful face and smiled. "Elizabeth," he yawned again as his eyes started to drift closed, "I lo..."

-Next Episode-

Things begin to get on track for our couple... but like any good moment in Port Charles...

it may just be the calm before the storm


	36. Step 36

Last Episode-

AJ helped save Elizabeth from Capelli... and avoided death after a conversation with Audrey

Part 36

Elizabeth had taken to her new role like she'd been born to it. Nurse Webber. Well, to be honest with the sheer number of medical professionals in her family tree, she probably had been. Since AJ had been released from the hospital, she'd spent every waking moment at his side.

And, as much as Audrey grumbled about it, when Lila offered to have Elizabeth stay at the Mansion, Audrey couldn't dissuade Elizabeth from agreeing. Emily didn't mind much either. While most nights were like an ongoing sleepover where they both did their homework and giggled long into the night, there were some nights when Elizabeth didn't come back from the gate house.

Tonight was just such a night.

-Gate House-

Elizabeth leaned over toward AJ on the couch, a spoon held aloft in her hand and a mischievous grin on her lips. "Come on... you only have a few more spoonfuls and then you're done."

AJ groaned. "I only have a shred of dignity left and then I'll ask Jason to put a bullet in my head." With a sigh he opened his mouth and she fed him his soup. Once he swallowed he sagged back against the couch and moaned. "Okay, I'm done... shoot me."

Setting the spoon down beside the bowl she gave him a pout. "Look, if you didn't end up dropping soup in your lap when you used your left hand... AFTER insisting that you could do it on your own... I wouldn't be doing this... so..." her eyes snapped at him, "suck it up, AJ!"

He blinked at her in shock and she burst into tears.

"I'm sorry, AJ... I-" she pulled away, trying to get up off the couch.

He reached out his left hand and caught at her wrist. "Please, Elizabeth... don't go."

She sank back down on the couch, her eyes directed to her lap. "I shouldn't have said that... I don't know why-"

"You said it because I was an ass... I was feeling sorry for myself and giving you a hard time. I'm not upset... with you. I should be better about accepting help," he sighed, "but I don't want you to think I'm this wimpy guy who can't do the simplest things for himself."

"Wimpy?" Elizabeth shifted on the cushion, turning to look at him. "You jumped on a guy to save me... fought with him, nearly got yourself killed trying to protect me!" She shook her head wildly. "What can I complain about? What can I say or think besides how crazy awesome you were... are."

"I wasn't the one who... I wasn't the one who made sure he'd never hurt you again... I wasn't able to stop him the way it really mattered." He reached up his left hand and swept her hair back from her ears, his fingertips trailing along the column of her neck. She leaned into his touch, her eyes half-closed. "I'm not my brother."

Elizabeth's eyes opened wide. "What?"

AJ pulled his hand away from her, his cheeks coloring with shame. "I'm not Jason, Elizabeth... I don't know how to shoot people like that. I don't know how to put an end to creeps like he does. I'm just me."

"AJ..." Curling her legs under her body, Elizabeth reached out and touched his shoulder. Even the simple touch affected her. Feeling the strength of his muscles beneath his skin made her heart beat even faster. "AJ... I don't want you to be Jason... or anyone else." She sucked in a breath, the sound more of a gasp as she struggled to find the right words. "I never wanted you... or anyone else... to kill someone for me." She rose up a little, her hand sliding up to brush his cheek with the softest touch she could manage. "I was so afraid when I saw you fighting with... him. I was so afraid that he'd hurt you... or worse, and I when I felt your blood on me... I was so scared..."

AJ stared at her. No, stare was too mundane a word for it. There was no word for how he felt, listening to her thoughts... knowing that she didn't think any less of him for just being... himself. AJ felt the world around him dim, his eyes focused solely on her beautiful face... and the lips had driven him to distraction for weeks...

Elizabeth leaned closer, her heart pounding as she watched him. She saw the way he looked at her... and it was exciting. She felt her skin prickle with heat and nothing scared her. Not at that moment. She'd been through hell... no one could argue that... but with AJ she felt secure... she felt beautiful... she felt whole. "I know I'm not sophisticated like my sister... or as smart as she is... or as pretty..." she swallowed when she felt his hand settle on her hip, "but when I'm with you... you make me feel like it doesn't matter... you make me feel-"

She'll never know who really initiated the kiss. They had both been leaning in toward the other, both rising up a little from the sofa cushions as they gazed at each other. But then, she would muse, it didn't matter who started it when AJ's mouth slanted over hers, his warm breath mingled with hers, her sigh humming through her body and against his lips.

It should have been one kiss. One simple kiss. AJ owed her enough to keep it simple between them, but when he tried to pull back and she reached out her hand and grabbed his arm he couldn't pull away. Elizabeth was quickly making it very hard to breathe... let alone think. She turned her head, pressing another kiss against his lips, her fingertips biting into his arm as she leaned closer.

He moved toward her as well, feeling the slight trembling of her lips against his. He felt the heat from her skin against his. He felt the very immediate reaction of his body swelling against the confines of his jeans. A muscle in his jaw ticked and he bit back a curse.

Elizabeth pulled back, nearly falling against the back of the sofa. "Did I hurt you?"

He wanted a black hole to swallow him up. He wanted to fade into the couch and disappear. "No... no, Elizabeth, I-" before he could think better of it he got up from the couch and turned his back to her. "I'm fine... I just..." he caught sight of the light in the bathroom, "I need to go... yeah, I need to..." he moved to the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

Elizabeth didn't know what to think, but she certainly wasn't going to bother him when he was... in the bathroom.

Part of her felt like she should shout! She'd kissed AJ and he'd kissed her back. And wow... did he know how to kiss!

Leaning back against the cushions, she picked up one of the colorful throw cushions she and Emily had picked out for him and hugged it tight against her chest. She tried to take long slow breaths and tried to remember what she'd talked to Dr. Abernathy about.

Their last session had been two days ago and while Emily waited outside in the reception area Elizabeth had sat in her customary chair in her therapist's office and tried not to fall apart.

-Dr. Abernathy's Office earlier-

"I'm glad to see that you decided to come in, Elizabeth." She continued on when she saw the look on her patient's face. "I saw the news."

Elizabeth had let out a shaky breath. "I knew I had to see you," she explained, "but whatever I tell you-"

"I confidential, Elizabeth. You are free to tell me anything."

Trusting her doctor completely, Elizabeth told her about the whole thing. Waiting alone at the restaurant. Going for a walk on the docks. Realizing that it had been Detective Capelli that had raped her.

"You'd met him before, right?"

Elizabeth nodded. "I was a mess when I came to Port Charles," she explained, "and I did all kinds of stupid things when I wanted attention. The Principal of the school called in Police when they found me smoking in the bathroom and they had the detective lecture me about my behavior and to prove a point about how my 'ways would get me in trouble' he'd asked the detective to handcuff me and put me in his patrol car. It was right outside the school... in plain view of a whole bunch of classroom windows." Elizabeth wrung the tissue in her hands. "I was so busy thinking about how embarrassing it would be for someone to see me outside in the patrol car that I never really paid any attention to him. Maybe if I had paid attention... I wouldn't have been... there... wouldn't have let him attack me."

"Elizabeth..." the warning was plain.

"No, I know it wasn't my fault," she explained, "but this time... I was so upset by my grams missing my birthday that I went somewhere that was dangerous. It was one thing to go down during the day when Jason and his guards are around. But late at night? That was just stupid."

"Hindsight is always 20/20."

"Thank goodness, Francis' sight was too." Elizabeth huffed out a sigh. "One of Jason's guards was checking the security cameras down by their warehouse and saw me there when I was alone. If he hadn't called Jason and if AJ hadn't been with him... I don't know what would have happened to me."

"And AJ?" Doctor Abernathy went straight on to the next. "When will he be- Elizabeth?" She saw the stain of color across Elizabeth's cheeks. "Is there something wrong with AJ?"

"Wrong?" Elizabeth shook her head. "He's healing from the gunshot wound that he got saving my life... but he'll be released soon," she explained.

"Then what's worrying you?"

Elizabeth debated about what to tell her doctor. She didn't want to sound stupid or ridiculous, but then again, she had to ask someone... and really, talking to Emily or Lila wouldn't get her an unbiased answer. "I've been wondering."

Dr. Abernathy waited for Elizabeth to work through her own thoughts.

"Wondering," she continued, "what it would be like to... be with a guy that I loved... you know..."

The doctor nodded. "Sex."

Elizabeth flushed red in an instant. "Yes... to have sex with someone that doesn't want to hurt me."

The doctor set aside her notepad and leaned forward in her chair. "Elizabeth I know you understand the whole 'legal age' thing. So we're not going to go through that. What we will talk about is your feelings. Rape isn't something that goes away. Not completely. It's not like a disease that you can be 'cured' of."

Doctor Abernathy was watching her patient closely. "You can work through it... you can put it behind you... but there will never be a time when it won't be a part of you in some little way." She gave Elizabeth a tentative smile. "You will be stronger because of it... you will be able to one day make a choice to be with a man in that primal way that expresses the deepest parts of love... an elemental connection between two people where they can become as close as any two people can become."

She smiled and watched Elizabeth carefully.

"And it will happen... when you choose it."

Elizabeth took it all in... and nodded slowly. "And when I'm a year older, right?"

"Legally," Dr. Abernathy smiled, "but really... beyond that it has nothing to do with time. You could be seventeen or twenty... or whatever. You'll know when it's right."

-Gate House Bathroom-

AJ splashed cold water on his face again... and again... he didn't have time for a cold shower. Elizabeth was still out there waiting and... the thought of getting undressed with her on the other side of the door.

He almost shoved his head under the faucet trying to cool down.

-Gate House-

Elizabeth heard the muttered curse from the bathroom and almost called out to him when someone knocked on the door. She knew it wasn't Emily. Her friend would have yelled in to open the door, not knocked on it. Another couple of knocks, louder than the first sounded so Elizabeth stood up, dropping the pillow behind her on the couch.

She made her way to the front door and opened it up.

The girl that was standing outside the door wasn't someone that Elizabeth knew. "Hello?"

The blonde pushed in past Elizabeth. "Where's AJ?"

Elizabeth turned around, her arms folded across her chest. "I'm sorry, you are..."

"No one you need to know." She bit back. "I'm here to see AJ. So go and get him."

"I'm not," Elizabeth shook her head, "your servant."

The cold stare from the blonde hit hard.

"Hey, I heard someone knocking." AJ entered the room his head half covered with a towel as he dried his hair. "Who came to vi-" He stared as he caught sight of the woman standing in the middle of his living room. "Carly."

-Next Episode-

"Hurricane Carly" (as you wonderful readers have dubbed her) makes a first tentative landfall on Quiz shores


	37. Step 37

-Last Episode-

Carly showed up for a visit... interrupting a tense moment.

Step 37

-Gate House-

Carly gave AJ an appreciative look. "You forgot to get out of your clothes before you took a shower?"

AJ swallowed and stared at her, hoping she was just a painmed induced hallucination. "What are you doing here?"

"That's not a nice greeting, AJ." She moved closer, ignoring Elizabeth. "Is that they way to greet a _close_ friend?"

AJ looked over at Elizabeth and registered the strain in her expression... the questions written in her beautiful blue eyes. "What do you need, Carly?"

Carly sashayed a little closer. "I heard you were recovering from a wound."

AJ stepped away, leaving her hand hanging there in mid-air. "Elizabeth is taking care of me."

Turning around to look at the petite brunette, Carly openly scoffed. "Little muffin here? I bet she can't even lift her school books without help." Looming over the younger girl, Carly gave her a head to toe once over. "High school... Junior?"

Elizabeth blanched. "Do we know each other?"

Carly laughed. "Oh... I don't think so... I'm don't hang around with kids." Turning back to AJ she saw him trying to pull his t-shirt off.

When AJ saw her looking at him with open lust in her eyes he dropped the hem from his hands.

"Oh no," she sighed, "Don't let me stop you. In fact, I'm more than happy to help you take off that shirt... I have experience, remember?"

Elizabeth saw the odd look that crossed AJ's face and she felt something twist inside of her. "Well, I should go back up to the house... Emily and I have some homework-" She stopped talking when she saw Carly's snide grin. "I'll just go now... leave you two... to..." Elizabeth snatched up her purse and started for the door.

"Elizabeth, wait!" AJ tried to chase her to the door but even though it was only his arm that was injured the exertion nearly drove him to his knees and she was gone before he could get to the door. AJ turned on Carly. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Carly stepped closer, swaying her hips as she moved. "I should think you'd know exactly why I'm here."

He held her off with his good hand. "Carly, you need to remember what we said... this... whatever happened between us... is NOT going to happen again. Never!"

Carly narrowed her eyes at him. "This is because of her... isn't it?" She scoffed and nearly spat her words. "She's a baby, AJ! How can you even think of touching her... let alone have sex with her!"

"That's not the kind of relationship we have, Carly, not that it's any of your business."

She blinked at him... once, twice, a few times, "Wait." She grinned. "No way." She laughed outright. "You and the little tween queen haven't had sex?" She clapped her hands together. "Seriously, is she a lesbian?" She waved off his answer. "No, come on... you have to worry... how could she keep her hands off of you... how she can keep herself from throwing you down on a bed and climbing all over you... I know I did when I got my chance."

A muscle in AJ's jaw ticked. "Carly. There are two things you need to understand," he reconsidered, "three." He took in a breath. "One-what happened between you and me was a complete mistake... an accident of the worst kind. Two- I will not betray my brother ever again. I owe him too much. and Three- I love Elizabeth, Carly. Love her. And if you hurt her... if you come after her... all bets are off. I will hurt you right back."

She glared at him. "Well... you've made your feelings very clear."

"Can you leave, please?"

Carly glared at him. "Fine... I'll leave." She moved to the door and turned on him one final time. "One day, AJ, one day you're going to be down on your knees to me... begging me to stay."

When she shut the door behind her he shook his head. "Yeah, right... that will NEVER happen.

-Quartermaine Mansion-

Elizabeth opened the door and Emily was suddenly launching herself down the stairs. "Oh my god! You're back! Thank God!" Emily threw her arms around Elizabeth and jumped up and down screaming while Elizabeth tried to avoid getting hurt while her friend let out giggle after giggle. By the time Emily had gotten calm enough to make coherent sense out of the words that were falling from her lips.

"Em!" Elizabeth was almost glad for the frenetic energy as it distracted her from the odd scene at the Gate House. "Tell me with actual words... what is going on?"

"It's... OH my God! It's huge!" Emily was still dancing around.

Reginald wheeled Mrs. Quartermaine in and the kindly matriarch of the family gave Elizabeth a brilliant smile. "You're home, Elizabeth."

The greeting struck Elizabeth in the gut. She'd only been here off and on since Valentine's Day and it almost did feel like home. It was probably because Mrs. Lila Quartermaine was such a gentle soul full of love for even the worst of her family that she accepted Elizabeth into the fold with a modicum of effort. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was extremely grateful for her generosity. "Yes, thank you, Mrs. Quartermaine, I'm happy to see you too!" She gestured at her friend. "Emily sounds like she has news but I can't seem to get her to make any sense.

Reginald coughed behind his hand and gave Elizabeth a funny look.

"Perhaps," Lila explained, "I can shed some light on the cause of her excitement." Lila pointed toward the living room and Reginald pushed her in with Emily and Elizabeth following after her, their hands joined and swinging back and forth.

When Lila reached the coffee table she picked up an envelope and nodded. Elizabeth opened it and read the invitation to herself. "Oh, wow." She looked up at Lila. "But I'm not... I mean... I can't afford..."

"Elizabeth, dear," Lila covered Elizabeth's hand with her own, "The Quartermaine family is paying for a block of tickets to the Cassadine Winter Ball and we'd like for you come with us."

Turning her gaze to Emily who was fairly vibrating with energy, Elizabeth swallowed. "I uh... I guess..." she bit into her bottom lip, "do you have a dress I can borrow?"

"That is the BEST part!" Emily gasped and giggled all at the same time. "We... you and me... we're going to get dresses!"

Before Elizabeth could protest the cost, Lila drew her attention. "Chloe Morgan, the designer, is a member of our family... and she has already expressed an interest in loaning dresses to both Emily and you, Elizabeth, there will be photographers at the event from the larger news outlets and Chloe, the dear girl, would consider it a personal favor if we could showcase some of her designs."

Lila waited for a reaction from Elizabeth, but the young girl was stone-faced.

"Dear?" She reached out a hand and touched her arm. "Are you quite alright?"

"Chloe Morgan... personal favor? Oh my... I would get to wear a Chloe Morgan gown?" Reginald barely made it in time to help her into a chair. "I think I've died and gone to fashion heaven."

Emily leapt up in the air. "See? See? We are so going to be ELEGANT!" Emily ran over and dragged Elizabeth out of her chair. The two girls screamed and clung to each other as they bounced up and down.

Reginald recoiled from the noise and looked down at Mrs. Quartermaine. "Elegant... yes, I can see that."

Lila's chuckle warmed her cheeks to a rosey red.

-Gate House-

AJ leaned his head back against his headboard and sighed. Carly was a complication that probably would never go away until he made it. It was tempting to hope that she'd just fade out of his life, but that was wishful thinking.

Carly seemed to be more and more interested in his life and that was going to be a problem. He licked his lips, missing the dry taste of his favorite vodka. The urge scared him. Getting up out of his bed he went to the refrigerator to get out the pitcher of water to pour a glass. Trying to open the cupboard, he managed it while balancing the pitcher against his stomach. He didn't know why it felt like he was having to juggle things just for a simple glass of water.

There was a knock at the door and he sighed. "Come on in!" When the door opened he grinned. "Thank you for coming back I need a hand."

Jason stepped up beside him. "I've got two. What do you need?"

AJ's face couldn't hide the disappointment he felt. "I wanted a glass of water."

His brother looked him straight in the eye and nodded. "You want alcohol, but you're choosing water. You'll beat it yet, big brother."

AJ was a bit humbled by Jason's words. "How are you doing? I haven't seen you much since that night on the docks. I haven't really had the chance to thank you enough." He watched Jason pour him a cup of water and then took out another for himself. "Did you get in trouble with Sonny for helping us?"

Jason shrugged. "Sonny and I feel the same way about men who hurt women. He knows Capelli deserved to die... or worse. He didn't mind losing a couple of cameras and some tapes. We had them all replaced the next day and nothing happened at the warehouses. So," he shrugged again, "no problem."

Leaning against the counter, AJ took a sip of his water. "And you saved my life... and Elizabeth's life."

"No big deal."

"It is," AJ assured him, "I don't know what I would have... what would have happened if you hadn't been there."

"For once it was the right place at the right time. And," he gave AJ a smile, "if I hadn't kept you alive, Elizabeth would have kicked my ass."

"Oh, so that's why you helped me."

Jason shrugged. "Maybe. "

AJ hated to ruin a moment like this, but he needed to get it off his chest. Especially because he couldn't have Carly be the one to say something. "Jason, I need to talk to you about-"

"Oh yeah," Jason took another sip and grimaced, "water... tastes better in beer."

"Remember the other day, when I wanted to tell you-"

Jason's phone rang and he answered it. "Morgan." He listened. "Yeah... sure... sure. Done. Okay."

When he put the phone away he turned to AJ. "Look, Sonny wants me to go away for a few weeks, keep things quiet before the Police think to question Capelli's death."

AJ nodded. "I heard Taggart's back at work now. Internal Affairs cleared him. I don't think they looked that hard at it but if Sonny thinks it's better like this..."

Jason put his cup in the sink. "Yeah. I'll call you when I get back into town... and we can talk about whatever this thing is."

"Yeah," AJ sighed, "sure." He watched Jason cross to the door. "Hey, Jason?"

Jason turned back to look at him. "Yeah?"

AJ swallowed his disappointment down. "Be careful."

The door closed behind his brother and AJ sank back into his worrisome mood.

-Emily's Bedroom-

Elizabeth hugged her pillow as she struggled to process her thoughts. "Em?"

"Hmm?" Emily was barely awake. "What?"

"What do you know about Carly?"

"Carly?" Emily made a gagging noise and giggled afterward. "Ick."

"Do you think AJ likes her?" She could hear the strangled worry in her own voice. She prayed that Emily didn't notice.

"Oh, ewww... no!" Emily's bed rustled and Elizabeth knew she had turned over. "AJ thinks she's gross... like I do." There was a pause. "Why?"

Elizabeth didn't know what to say. Her own thoughts were at war in her head. She's seen the way Carly looked at AJ. She'd heard her talk to him. Carly was used to sex. She knew what to say. How to move. What to do.

Elizabeth fisted her hand in her pillow. She knew nothing beyond pain and tears. She didn't know what to say to a man to tempt him. Or how to look sexy. Tears slipped into the cotton case of her pillow and she muffled a sob. She may be putting the rape behind her... finding a way to heal the pain... but she had no idea how to move on from where she was... and become the woman she wanted to be.

And, she admitted to herself, by the time she had it figured out... someone like Carly would be with AJ.

-Gate House-

AJ struggled to fall asleep and moved out into the living room, carefully laying himself down on the sofa so he didn't hurt his arm. He wanted to get the bandages and sling off as quickly as possible. When his grandmother had called down to tell him about the Winter Ball he'd been even more determined to heal. He wanted to be the one with Elizabeth on his arm... to dance with her.

Turning his head slightly he took in a deep breath and smiled. Elizabeth had fallen asleep on the pillow the day before after school and it still smelled like her lotion.

He hated wearing a tuxedo, but he'd do it gladly if it meant holding her in his arms and hopefully, if Nikolas could be bribed, kissed under the mistletoe.

As he fell asleep his mind was filled with dark blue eyes and the scent of her skin. Sweet dreams indeed.

-Next Episode-

Family Feuds and A Winter Wonderland


	38. Step 38

_-Last Episode-_

_There's a Winter Ball in store for our PC friends..._

Part 38

-Chloe Morgan Design House-

AJ fiddled with his coffee cup, ignoring the ache in his right arm.

"Why didn't you want to go in with her?" Emily looked up from the catalog and grinned at her brother. "She said you could go in."

Looking at his sister with a grimace he set his coffee mug down and looked at the doorway to Chloe's private office. "I know... but since Carly showed up that night... things have been really tense between us." He sighed. "And I want her to have fun with this."

Emily shook her head. "You... my wonderful brother... are a class A DORK!" Her exclamation drew a couple of curious looks. "Is that why she's been dragging me along to the Gate House with her?" Emily rolled her eyes. "Carly?"

"She stopped by one night to check on me and she was rude to Elizabeth."

Emily blinked at him. "And you totally threw her out on her skanky ass, right?"

There was a moment of silence and Emily smacked AJ on the leg with her catalog book. "You let her stay!"

"Elizabeth ran off to the house to do homework with you."

Narrowing her eyes at her brother she shook her head again. "Excuses."

"That's really what happened," he explained.

"No, dummy," Emily hissed at him, "Elizabeth gave you an excuse and you bought it." She sighed, a long suffering groan of sound. "You have sooo much to learn, big bro. Women are so much easier than you think."

"Yeah, well, I wish someone would hand me a book with lessons in it... I hated the way she looked at me before she ran out. I didn't know what to say."

Leaning back against the leather sofa, Emily nailed him with a look. "It's simple, AJ... Elizabeth is totally, 100%, head over heels-"

The door to Chloe's office opened and AJ scrambled to his feet as fast as his mending arm would let him. Emily laughed at him as she got up, shouldering her purse.

Chloe stood in the doorway with her arm around Elizabeth's shoulders. "Well, I can honestly say, that Elizabeth is going to look absolutely gorgeous at the Ball." The two shared a happy smile. "I had intended on lending you girls some gowns for the occasion, but after talking to Elizabeth I had an inspiration!" She gave a grin to a passing mailroom boy. "Elizabeth had such a great idea for a dress and so we sketched it out in a few minutes, found swatches of fabric to make it all happen." She wrapped Elizabeth in her arms in a warm hug. "You," she spoke quietly to the young woman but her voice still carried to AJ and Emily. "You have talent... not just in art... but you have a designer's mind. If you ever decide that painting isn't what you want to do... you come and work for me."

Elizabeth was stunned. She couldn't do anything else but blink at Chloe who led Elizabeth over to the couch. Emily kissed Elizabeth loudly on the cheek and gave her a hug. "You are so awesome!" Emily turned Elizabeth toward AJ and crossed over to Chloe. "My turn, right?"

Chloe shook her head and laughed. "Of course!"

Emily tugged on Chloe's arm and whispered into her ear when she leaned over. The two looked at AJ and Elizabeth with grins on their faces.

Straightening, Chloe took Emily's hand in hers. "Em and I are going to go to the Fabric District and shop around for some things... Mood Fabrics is my personal playground. So-"

"Why don't you and Liz go and do some sightseeing stuff around the park."

AJ was about to say he didn't really care about that kind of thing when he saw Elizabeth's hopeful look. "That's right," he remembered, " this is your first time in New York City." He caught the wink that his sister shared with him and almost groaned. This was a total set up, but damn if he was happy for it. He picked up her coat and gave it to her, watching as she tugged on her mittens. "I think we can find something to pass the time." He looked at Chloe and Emily. "How long?"

Emily slid her hand through the crook of Chloe's arm. "HOURS."

-Central Park, NYC-

Elizabeth looked up at AJ as they waited to cross the street to Central Park. He'd wanted to take a cab up to the park, but after standing on the street for more than ten minutes trying to hail a cab on a cold afternoon, they'd given up and walked. AJ had his hands in his jeans pockets, puffing his breath from his lips in big steamy clouds. "Have you been to Central Park a lot?"

He looked down at her with a smile, his cheeks flushed red with the cold. "Not really. Emily is the one that likes the park."

"Oh," Elizabeth's smile dimmed a bit. "If you'd rather go and do something else-"

"No, hey," AJ gave her a grin and nudged her shoulder to get her moving as the crowd stepped off the curb to cross, "I'm happy to bring you here. I have fun with Emily when we come up here," he explained, "but I want to see it with you."

They moved with the crowd, AJ slipping an arm around her to keep someone from bumping into her. Tucked up against his side, Elizabeth turned away for a moment, knowing her smile would be a little too bright... her cheeks a little too flushed.

The walkways were wet and slush had collected in pockets where the pathway wasn't even. AJ and Elizabeth managed not to slip too much and keep on their feet as they walked through the winter landscape of the park.

Their first stop was due to AJ's rumbling stomach. Elizabeth heard the urgent sound and tried to stifle her laugh. It only succeeded in turning the tips of AJ's ears red. "Hey," he argued, "we started out before breakfast and while you and Emily were eating in the car," he groused, "I was driving!"

"Okay, okay," she held up her hands in surrender, "I'm sorry... you're right. What do you want to eat?"

AJ looked around them at the clearing and saw the sprinkling of vending carts parked along the paths. "Hot Dog?"

Elizabeth cringed. "Too heavy."

He caught sight of a cart off by itself with no crowd. "Ice cream?"

She gaped at him. "No!"

"Hey," he pointed at a cart sending up a rolling cloud of steam, "what about pretzels?"

Her lips curled up in a mischievous smile. "If they have hot chocolate," she explained, "I'm all for it!"

A few minutes later they continued on their way through the park, happily munching on their pretzels while they warmed their other hands on the cups of cocoa that the vender poured for them.

"I bet," she began, "that this place looks magical at night."

AJ munched on his pretzel. It was easier than biting his tongue. He didn't want to explain that at night, Central Park was no place that she'd want to be. He didn't want to bring back bad memories... not when she was smiling from ear to ear.

They continued on, side by side, "Yes," she sighed, "magical."

-Hardy House-

Sarah tried to ignore the colossal waste of time the afternoon had been. Lucky, her partner for a History project, had been staring at the front door the whole time. "So," she began, "what do you think about a slide presentation. We can put together a slide for each sub-topic."

"Sure," he murmured, "sounds great."

Shaking her head she hissed. "What's with you, Lucky?"

"Hmm?"

She slammed her textbook shut, shocking him into sitting up straighter on the couch. "What was that?"

"Oh good," her sarcasm was clear in her tone, "you're finally awake." She leaned forward and gestured to the notes in her book. "Now, do we want to do a speech at the podium or a slide presentation?"

Lucky snuck a glance at the door again. "What time did you say they were coming back from New York?"

"New York?" Sarah's voice was shrill. "You're still thinking about... that?!"

Slouching against the cushions, Sarah folded her arms over her chest, ignoring the practiced pose she'd worked out earlier to show off her body to the best advantage. "I can't believe it!" Picking up a throw cushion, she winged it at Lucky's head. "Did you miss the fact that my saintly little sister isn't even living here anymore?"

"What?" Lucky turned to her, finally focusing on her face. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, that's rich!" Sarah jumped up from the couch. "You weaseled your way over to my house to work on a project... to see my sister?"

Lucky couldn't argue with the truth. "I'm sorry, Sarah, I just... with everything that's happened to her... I just want to be there to-"

"To HER?" Sarah's head felt like it was about to explode. "You're here because you worry about how she's doing?" She didn't even let him answer. "No... no... let me tell you something, Lucky." She pointed a finger at him. "Ever since you found out that she was attacked that night you took me out... all you've been doing is fixating on my sister. She was playing you, Lucky! She wanted you because you wanted me! This is just what Liz does!"

He could only stare back at her and try to figure out a way to apologize.

"If I were to show an interest in you," she huffed, "Lizzie would be right there... drooling over you just to spite me!"

"She would?" Lucky was off-balance enough to stick his foot even further in his throat. "You think so?"

Sarah let out a blood curdling scream and grabbed at something heavy enough to throw. Lucky ducked, sending the figurine into the wall. It landed in half a dozen pieces on the floor. "Get out! Now!"

- Central Park-

Elizabeth, sneaking up behind AJ, shook the trunk of the tree he was standing under, sending thousands of icy water drops falling toward him.

He yelped in surprise and tried to make a grab for her, but she danced out of the way.

"Ow!"

Elizabeth stopped short when she heard the real pain in his voice. "Oh, AJ... did I hurt you?"

He shook his head, but the grimace on his lips said he was a liar. "I just over did it, Elizabeth."

She smoothed her hand over his chest, whispering soft words to him as though she could ease the pain for him. Strangely enough.. she did.

As she touched him, AJ began to feel a warmth ease through his wound and his thoughts were consumed by the soft look in her eyes.

She blinked as she looked at him, her gaze searching as her hands flattened against his chest.

He leaned forward... inch by inch as her eyes drifted closed. Right before his lips touched hers a bunch of kids ran past them, jostling the couple as they played tag under the trees.

Elizabeth was the first to recover her thoughts. Swallowing hard she gave AJ a smile. "That was... um..."

"Yeah," he agreed, "it was..."

Jingle Bells chimed in rhythm beyond the rock wall behind her and Elizabeth discerned the steady clip clop of horses' hooves on the asphalt. One moment she was clapping her hands together in joy and the next she looked away in shame.

AJ caught on pretty quick. "Hey, you want to ride in the carriage."

She turned him down in a heartbeat. "No... no... that's way too much."

"Too much?" AJ shook his head. "Time? Emily said we have plenty of ti-" he caught on again. "Look, Elizabeth," he took her hand in his, "I wouldn't offer if I didn't want to take you... so what do you say?"

She had been trying to hide how much the idea meant to her, but once he explained the situation she couldn't ease the smile on her lips. Her full bottom lip teased him as she nodded. "Okay!"

The two made their way up to the street level and AJ talked to the carriage driver, paying him up front and then helping Elizabeth up into the carriage. The sides and back of the carriage were decorated with evergreen swags punctuated with red velvet bows. As AJ leaned back against the seat it was only a moment before she joined him, thrown back slightly by the lurch of the carriage.

The two giggled and listened to the steady clip clop clip clop punctuating the double time jingles of the bells that decorated the horse's collar. As they slowly made their way around the park, AJ made sure to keep his hands flat on the cushion, either side of his body. He wasn't going to push... he wasn't going to lean in if she didn't want it. He was just going to sit here and enjoy spending time with her.

The late afternoon hour meant that the air shifted a few degrees colder and the light blue sky had become nearly purple with the lamplight shining around them like stars.

Elizabeth leaned back against the hard wall of AJ's chest and sighed. When they were together like this... there was nothing more in the world that she wanted than to just be with him. She turned her head slightly, looking up at him with blue eyes hooded beneath her curly lashes. "AJ?"

He looked down at her, his blue eyes darkening with the shift of light. "Elizabeth."

She smiled up at him and giggled as the rocking motion of the carriage brought them just a little closer. "I had a really... really nice time today with you." She felt his hip connect with hers and felt her mouth go dry. "I just wanted to say-" Another bump pressed their lips together and then apart. Elizabeth could only stare up at him in wonder as she wrapped her arms around his neck. AJ used his good arm to hold her gently against his chest as he let his lips press against hers.

Shifting slightly, Elizabeth moaned against his lips and AJ felt the sound all the way to the bottoms of his feet. It was torture... exquisite torture... and as AJ drew in a breath that was full of her softly scented perfume and the heady scent of cocoa he knew he'd like nothing better than this for the rest of his life.

_-Next Episode-_

_Someone Leaves - Someone is Dumped - The Ball begins_


	39. Step 39

_-Last Episode-_

_On a trip to find gowns for the ball, Elizabeth spends quality time with AJ in New York City._

Step 39

- Port Charles High School-

Emily gave Elizabeth a hug at the door of the main school building. "Hey you," the two giggled, "you have an awesome day, cause tonight," Emily gave her another hug, "tonight we will have a BALL."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Nice pun, Emily."

The first bell rang and the two girls moved away from each other and down the halls toward their classes.

Liz was surprised at all the people that stopped to talk to her in the halls and in the classrooms. Girls that had never given her the time of day stopped to talk about class and when she was going to any of the school functions. Elizabeth was confused and still, she couldn't get rid of the smile on her lips.

Since she'd returned from the New York trip with AJ and Emily, her life had been turned upside down.

Before her last class she dashed into the girls room on the first floor and walked right into another girl. "Oh, wow... sorry!" She looked up. "Sarah!" Elizabeth grinned brightly. "It's so great to see you!"

Sarah's stone hard expression shocked her sister.

"Really?"

Elizabeth tried to keep her smile in place. "Yeah... I've been so busy lately helping AJ and trying to keep up with my schoolwork that I haven't had the chance to see you that much."

"Oh, boo hoo, Liz."

Sarah tried to push past Elizabeth, but she caught Sarah's arm. "Wait... what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Sarah shook her head. "You're kidding me, right?" She stared down at her sister. "Seriously?"

"Sarah," Elizabeth gathered her books closer to her chest,"I wouldn't ask if I didn't mean it. I'm sorry I don't understand... what's going on?"

Someone opened the door to come inside, took one look at the murderous glare in Sarah's eyes and shut the door.

"You! You and your fabulous life!" She took a deep breath and let loose on her sister. "You and your new house... you live in a MANSION! You and your new friends.. Emily was MY friend first! Lucky comes over to work on something for school and all he can talk about is you!" She took in another breath. "Grams hardly comes home from the hospital anymore and then when she does... all she talks about is how she's worried about you... and now... tonight... you are going to a BALL! An honest to goodness Celebrity event with a designer gown... a GOWN, Lizzie!" Sarah's eyes were red but Elizabeth couldn't see any tears.

"I'm sorry, Sarah... the Quartermaines included me in their invitation. If I could have invited you I would have!"

"Is that what you think this is about, Lizzie? All about you?" Sarah nearly spit her words out. "It all started with that night you spent in the park. Really... with all the things you've gotten... all the fancy clothes and fancy friends... it had to be worth it."

"Worth it?" Elizabeth felt her face flush with heat. "What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about." She lifted her chin and set her jaw tightly. "Well, we can't all turn a few minutes of our lives into your own personal fairy godmother," she ground out, "some of us have to work for it." Sarah's eyes had gone cold. "I'm leaving, Lizzie, I'm going to meet up with Mom and Dad. They've taken a job in Paris for the next year and I'm going to go to a school there and finish high school. I'm not going to stay here and live in your shadow."

The door banged shut and Elizabeth began to cry.

-The Docks-

Carly wrapped her coat around her shoulders and walked down the docks toward Sonny and Jason's warehouse. She stopped when a hand touched her shoulder.

"Carly."

"Jason?" She turned around and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh I'm so happy that you're back!"

When she leaned in to kiss him she found herself held at arm's length.

"What's wrong?"

Jason folded his arm across his chest. "I've been out of town working for Sonny."

"Yeah!" She laughed at him. "I know that!"

"And while I'm gone," he looked right into her eyes, "I have people watching out for me."

There was a moment of silence when Carly felt her stomach turn upside down.

"And that means that they watch the people in my life."

Her smile faltering, Carly tried to move forward and touch him but the cold glare in his eyes stopped her.

"Want to explain what you were doing at the Brownstone?"

Carly knew the jig was up. Still, she didn't know what to say."

"If you didn't like our arrangement, Carly, all you had to do was tell me."

She didn't hear any hurt in his voice. No tears. That didn't shock her. Jason wasn't one to show tender emotions. Still, she heard no anger and she thought she at least deserved anger. "There isn't anything to tell, Jason." She pouted at him. "It's not like you had any intention of making this permanent."

"No," he agreed, "but I don't share either, Carly."

She ground her teeth together. "I know," she spit, "and you don't do it without protection, either!"

He nodded. "That's the rule. You knew that when we met."

"I just thought you were saying that until we got to know each other."

"I did get to know you." Jason turned and started to walk away.

"Jason, wait!"

He turned around, his blue eyes passive, dismissive. "I need to know who I can count on."

She wanted to scream at him... snap and snarl at his cold demeanor... she wanted to tell him she'd slept with AJ, but this wasn' t the time. She needed the element of surprise and as much as she wanted to hurt Jason right now... but he would be hurt... she'd see to it.

So she let him walk away.

-Spoon Island Launch-

AJ tugged at the collar of his coat, protecting his neck from the chilling winds. Alan, standing beside him, gave him a pat on his shoulder. "How is the arm feeling?"

Moving it around, AJ nodded. "Fine. I'm feeling much better." He looked forward at the island, the windows bright with candlelight. "And the kind of dancing we need to do tonight, don't need a lot of movement with this arm."

Alan nodded. "Well, I'll leave that to you and the other younger men." He grinned as the launch began to slow as it approached the docks. "I

I'm pretty sure your mother will let me off the hook after one."

"You're sure?" AJ's expression spoke volumes. "I wouldn't count on that."

"You know, son... I think you're right." The crew on the docks, dressed in crisp black uniforms, quickly tied of the boat and set the ramp for them to disembark from the craft. One man stepped up and nodded. "Dr. Quartermaine, the ladies are up at the house, if you'll follow me."

-Wyndemere - Guest Room-

Emily twirled around the room in her gown, the puffy sleeves and full skirt complete with petticoats was every princesses dream. She avoided Monica's request for a hug because, "I'll wrinkle!"

As Emily leaned into the mirror to check her make-up, there was a knock at the door. "Dr. Quartermaine?"

Monica crossed to the door and opened it up, smoothing her hand over her silver gown. "Yes?"

The young butler bowed. "I was sent to inform you that your husband and son have arrived. If you will join them in the foyer, Prince Cassadine will greet you and his other guests there."

"Thank you." She closed the door and crossed to the bathroom door. "Elizabeth? Are you ready?"

The bathroom door opened and Monica smiled at the younger woman. "You look lovely."

-Wyndemere Foyer-

When Monica arrived, Nikolas was already there, speaking with Alan and AJ. The young prince was impeccably dressed in a formal tuxedo and tails. He was, she acknowledged, a most handsome young man.

When he heard their footsteps the Prince turned and bowed to Monica. "Doctor Quartermaine," he smiled, "thank you for attending our ball this evening."

Monica put her hand in his and nearly giggled as he placed a kiss on her hand. "We are always happy to support worthy causes."

Nikolas turned to Emily as she hovered a step behind her mother. His smile brightened as he moved to take her hand as well, brushing a soft kiss over her knuckles. Emily was greatly moved by the gesture and she flushed a pretty color as he stood. "Emily, I am very glad you could come. I hope you'll save me at least one dance."

Elizabeth saw the look on her friends face and prayed that she would keep her cool.

"Sure," Emily began, "I mean, I would be delighted, Nikolas."

He turned again and held out his hand. Elizabeth stepped into the light to put her hand in his.

AJ felt pole-axed. He hadn't asked Elizabeth about her dress since she'd tried to explain it the first time. He had no idea what a Bateau neckline meant or the difference in greens. Now, he knew.

The high neckline of her gown only served to enhance the contrast between the dark velvety green of the gown and her pure porcelain skin. The gown was formfitting but not revealing, the skirt flared from her hips but didn't take up much room. As big and romantic as Emily's dress was, Elizabeth's dress was smooth and elegant and he couldn't help his reaction. He was utterly fascinated by her beauty.

"Um, AJ?" His father's voice nudged at him. "AJ?"

When he blinked at the room surrounding him, AJ noticed a few things. There were only three people left in the room. His father, himself and Elizabeth. She stood in the center of the room, the pattern inlaid into the flooring seemed to radiate from her skirt and she stood there, patiently waiting for him to say something.

Alan gave Elizabeth a wink and followed everyone else into the ballroom.

AJ stepped forward and still he had to shake himself to get sound to pass his lips. "You look..."

"Strange," she sighed, "I know... I feel like I'm playing dress up in my mother's-"

"Beautiful." He smiled. "You look amazing."

He saw her lips move and he stopped breathing.

"You look pretty good yourself, AJ." Her blush colored her cheeks prettily. "I'm hoping you'll let me have a dance tonight?" She looked horrified a moment later. "I sound pretty stupid, huh? Asking a guy for a dance at a ball. The guy's supposed to do that, Elizabeth, really-"

"Elizabeth." He stepped closer and bent his elbow toward her, offering his arm. As she lightly touched her hand to his forearm he leaned closer. "I'm pretty much hoping for every dance... if you don't mind."

She smiled and ducked her head.

AJ turned them toward the ballroom and as they took their first steps together he looked down at the top of her head. Silver combs held up her curls, keeping them away from her face, and twined through the curls at the crown of her head were ivy leaves. The woman on his arm, for that was exactly what she was, was heartbreakingly beautiful.

Elizabeth felt the play of muscles beneath her hand and blushed. AJ was amazing. Kind, handsome, a gentleman, she knew that if she gave him her heart... he would never mean to hurt her. He would protect her love as he'd protected her life.

They entered the ball together.

_-Next Episode-_

_The ball continues..._

_Carly begins to exact revenge_


	40. Step 40

_-Last Episode-_

_The ball begins..._

**Step 40**

- Wyndemere Ballroom-

Elizabeth was having an incredible time. Nervous enough over the expensive gown she was wearing she kept smoothing the skirt and touching her ears to make sure her earrings were still there.

"Don't be so nervous," AJ leaned down and whispered in her ear, "you look beautiful."

"Yeah," she scoffed, "in a borrowed dress that costs more than I can imagine, borrowed earrings from your grandmother that cost more than my house... if my shoes were mine I wouldn't mind so much but I'm afraid I'll trip over one and scuff the other. I'm a mess."

AJ reached up to touch one of her curls. "You're the most beautiful mess I've ever seen."

Elizabeth looked away while her face flushed with heat. "Thanks."

Throughout the evening, Elizabeth danced with Nikolas, AJ, Dr. Alan Quartermaine, but most of her dances were saved for AJ. When they weren't on the floor, they were enjoying the lovely decorations and food that Nikolas' staff had prepared. The room, she was told was transformed. You'd never assume that the room was usually shrouded in dark wood and accents gilded with gold. On this wintery evening, the room was alight with candles and each table in the ballroom had tall glass vases with pillar candles glowing within. Larger vases held white branches that reach up above their heads as if they were in an enchanted wood. The branches winked, reflecting the light of the candles from prisms and crystals that dripped from the tips of the branches and swayed ever so slightly in a room full of dancers and merriment.

Even with the wonderful way that the evening was turning out, AJ had one special moment planned and thanks to his sister, her own cheeks flushed with joy, he knew exactly where to go with his lovely date.

AJ walked beside her through the garden, feeling her hand warm and gentle against his arm as he looked for the arbor that Emily had told him about. In the heart of the hedge maze there was a new arbor, constructed of the same snowy white branches that decorated the ballroom inside Wyndemere. Instead of candles, soft white pinpoint lights glowed where they were placed amongst the branches. As he moved them beneath the arbor, Elizabeth looked up to see the snow falling down from the sky and found herself looking at something else entirely.

Mistletoe.

Elizabeth stared at the sprig hanging over her head. She couldn't miss it contrasting against the pale white branches that created the arbor. The slight fall of snow in the gardens touched her upturned face with soft kisses. When AJ took her hands and drew her closer she looked into his eyes and took in a soft gasp of air. His eyes, contrasting with the dark night and snow dusted landscape were incredibly blue.

"Elizabeth."

She had to swallow and sweep her tongue over her lower lip before she regained her own voice. "AJ."

His fingers tightened around hers. "The night I met you... my life was a mess. I was a mess. I wasn't someone that people got close to... and I wasn't someone that I could look at in the mirror without wanting another drink. I was so lost in my own problems that I couldn't see beyond my own stupid problems. Then, I met you and you trusted me. You let me take you in my arms... hold you close... even though you'd been hurt. You let me hold your hand when you needed strength and cried on my shoulder when it was too much to talk about. You keep thanking me for doing those things, Elizabeth, but the truth is..." he lifted one hand and brushed a kiss over her knuckles, "the truth is... you saved me. You let me help you... you let me hold you and learn to laugh at myself. You let me relax and sit for hours just spending time together. You defended me and shared with me... you allowed me to be the man I'd always hoped to be... and you rewarded with me gentle smiles and laughter... and for that and so many other reasons I can't even begin to explain... I love you."

Elizabeth was sure she'd become deaf. Her ears buzzed with sound and echoed with the thunder of her heartbeat. She was pretty sure she was hallucinating.

"Elizabeth?" AJ's throat tightened as he swallowed. Worried that he'd said the wrong thing. "I'm so-"

"AJ," Elizabeth shook her head and laughed, "I think I've lost my mind."

He paled. "That's not really the reaction I had in mind. Actually I didn't have anything in mind. I wanted to tell you but maybe this wasn't the right time. I should have waited for-"

"AJ." Elizabeth's face was flushed and glowing. "I never dreamed you'd say it... never thought in a million years that you'd feel that way about some girl you found beaten and broken in the snow-"

"You're not broken." His words were strong and the look in his eyes made her breathless. "You never were. Even that night, hurt and needing help, you were the strongest woman I'd ever met. You were never broken, Elizabeth... you've own become stronger since I've met you. When I think about taking a drink... when I feel myself wanting to drown myself in it... I think about you and I know it's not worth it. I want to be there for you and for that reason I keep myself sober."

Gently, she drew her hand from his and reached up to cup his cheek, surprised at the warmth she felt from his skin. "AJ," she breathed, smiling up at him, "you take my breath away. Every minute with you makes me happy." She took her other hand and gently touched his other cheek, feeling his hands settle on her hips. "I'm so grateful that you found me that night... that you've shown me such concern, support... and yes, love. I never dreamed that you'd feel about me the same way I feel about you."

With a subtle pull of her hands, she brought his face closer to hers. Her blue eyes filled with the dancing candlelight and tears. "I love you too."

He kissed her and in the back of his head the word sounded flat. A kiss was too simple a word for what happened between them. He felt her slender body lean closer, his own muscular form was eager to shield her from the cold. Wrapping an arm around her his hand flattened against her back holding her gently against his larger frame, his other hand pressed gently against her lower back and he felt her shiver.

AJ leaned back, worry in his eyes. "You're cold."

A lazy smile curled her full lips, warm and slightly swollen from their kisses. "No... no I'm not."

"Still," he regretted having to say it, "we should get back inside... it's getting late..."

Slipping her arm through his, Elizabeth watched as he leaned down to smile at her. "I meant it, Elizabeth... you're the woman I love."

-Kelly's Diner-

Carly stared at the newspaper in her hands and wanted to scream. AJ Quartermaine's handsome face was smiling above the fold. That wasn't a problem, really. The problem was that Elizabeth Webber, that pasty-faced little waif, was right there beside him. The two, looking for all intent and purposes like a perfect storybook couple, made her stomach churn.

Putting her hand to her middle she felt the swell of her baby solid against her hand. She's picked AJ to be father of her baby, even though he hadn't volunteered or even done the deed itself. She sighed.

She'd tried to rope AJ in on her own, trying to turn his head the same way she'd turned Tony's. AJ, just wasn't helping. He, apparently, was too interested in Elizabeth Webber.

The front doors opened up behind her and when Carly looked up in the mirror behind the counter. Emily Quartermaine and Elizabeth Webber walked in. "Of all the damn luck," Carly hissed to herself.

Emily was the first to see the other woman and grabbed Elizabeth's arm. "Let's go eat somewhere else."

Elizabeth followed her eyes and caught sight of Carly at the counter. "But, Em, I thought you wanted to have some brownies and hot chocolate."

Shrugging, Emily looked at her friend. "We can go back to the mansion and ask Cook." Emily's own stomach betrayed her suggestion, growling loudly as they stood there.

Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth gave her friend a half-hug. "Let's just get a table, we don't have to talk to Jason's girlfriend."

"Ex-girlfriend," Emily steered Elizabeth to a table and the two of them grabbed menus and huddled together.

"Ex?" Elizabeth spared the tawny-haired woman a glance. "When did that happen?"

"Last night," Emily whispered.

Elizabeth felt a twinge of sympathy for Carly.

Later, when they'd finished their desserts, Emily went outside to flag down their driver as Elizabeth finished off every crumb of her brownie.

Carly took advantage of the opportunity to sidle up to the younger girl. "You're Elizabeth, right?"

Elizabeth looked up from her brownie, swiping at the crumbs on her lip with her paper napkin. "Yes... and you're Carly." Elizabeth's smile was genuine.

Dropping the newspaper on top of Elizabeth's plate, Carly set one hand on her hip. "That was some dress you had on at the ball."

Blushing a little, Elizabeth smiled. "I was so lucky to have Miss Morgan lend me a dress."

"Hmph." Carly leaned in a little. "Looks like you had a good time with AJ."

Somehow, Elizabeth felt a little chill with the tone of Carly's voice. "We had a wonderful time, Aj's a-"

"A man, honey, and make no mistake about it. But, you know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you?"

Elizabeth stood, gathering her purse up as she started to move toward the door. "I need to meet my friend, and-"

"Don't play cagey with me, Lizzie-girl." Carly's tone dripped with sarcasm. "It's just us girls."

"I don't know what you-"

"A man like AJ... well, he needs a lot of 'personal' attention."

"Not that it matters," Elizabeth swallowed, "but AJ and I spend a lot of time together."

Carly shook her head, laughing softly under her voice, "You are so naive... it's almost a shame." Carly saw Elizabeth's confusion and she plowed on through. "'Like candy from a baby." Carly didn't move back, even when Emily ran up to the window and knocked on it to get Elizabeth's attention. "You better hold on to your man, Lizzie," Carly took Elizabeth's arm and her nails dug in the slightest bit, "AJ needs a woman who's willing to give him anything he wants from her... anything."

Emily swung the door open. "Hey! Come on, Liz... we have to get back and work on our homework."

Carly dropped Elizabeth's arm like it was a used tissue. "Homework... I don't miss those years," Carly sighed dramatically. "I don't have time for that silly things like that anymore."

Elizabeth felt Emily grab her hand and pull her toward the door. All the way past the windows, Elizabeth couldn't take her eyes off of the other young woman. Her words were disturbing down to the darkest part of her heart and Elizabeth couldn't help but think about what she said... over and over.

_-Next Episode -_

_Elizabeth's doubts fall victim to someone with an ulterior motive._


	41. Step 41

_Last Episode -_

_AJ and Elizabeth confessed their feelings for each other... but Carly planted a seed of doubt..._

**Step 41**

-Hardy House-

Elizabeth, back living at Hardy House, had the biggest adjustment to make in her relationship with AJ. Since the ball they'd had little time to spend with each other. She was having a hard time with some of her classes and had to spend hours after school with her teachers to get things together. It had only been two weeks, but it was enough to feel like a year. She missed hanging out with AJ at the bunkhouse when he was only a short walk away.

Now, it was almost like they needed to schedule appointments to see each other.

The door rang and Elizabeth dragged herself from her math book to the front door, repeating some equations under her breath. When she opened the door she forgot all about algebra. "Emily?" She hugged her best friend and pulled her inside. "Thank God! I thought I'd never have fun today!" The two of them collapsed on the couch together and Elizabeth was about to ask Emily all kinds of stupid questions until she saw her friend's cheeks blush and her eyes lower. "Oh my... Emily... what happened?"

Emily flopped back on the cushions and sighed dramatically. "Everything." She reached out and took Elizabeth's hand. "Everything." Emily grabbed up one of the throw cushions and hugged it to her chest. "Nikolas and I... we..." Emily muffled a scream in the pillow.

Elizabeth swallowed audibly. "You guys had sex?"

"We 'made love,'" Emily corrected. "We made love over and over on his cushy four-poster bed." She saw Emily's grin.

"But, Em... you..."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Girl, I'm 17... I can do what I want with who I want... I'm in your grade, but I got a year behind with my mom died and the Quartermaine's adopted me."

Elizabeth looked at her friend with shock and a little bit of envy. More than a little bit of envy. "Did it hurt? Was he gentle?" Elizabeth blushed. "You don't have to answer, Em..."

"Oh no," Emily grabbed her arm, "you should know if you want to, Liz... it was amazing!" She looked at Elizabeth with a smile. "I know he's been with women before, I'm not stupid, but I know that when we were together, he was so sweet and loving... I can't believe I'm in love with a prince and he loves me back!"

The two girls hugged and giggled and later they scrounged around the kitchen for snacks.

-Jake's-

AJ walked in and gave Jake a nod, easily accepting the soda she poured for him before following her point toward the pool table.

Jason was finishing a game with some college guy and his friends. The boys were over-confident and drunk off their asses. AJ could tell that it took all of Jason's patience not to break a cue over their heads. They certainly deserved it.

He sat down at a table nearby and watched as the men kept upping their bets even though they were losing by 3 to 1. Jason just shrugged and let them add more money to pile on the rail of the table. Then, when the pot had increased by nearly a hundred dollars, Jason put an end to the game. He sank every one of the solids, called the eight ball and sunk that down. He gave the college boys one smile, swiped the money off the table and left, pulling out a chair opposite AJ. "Hey."

"Looks like you've got a side job going, Jason."

His brother shrugged and took a long sip from his beer before patting his jacket pocket. "Drinkin' money. Got enough for a couple of beers for me... a couple of soda for you."

"You make me feel like I'm back in High School, little brother."

"Didn't mean to."

AJ shook his head. "I didn't mean to... never mind." He took a big drink of his soda. "Look, I've got all kinds of things going on in my head so I think I'm making too much of little things in my head."

Jason turned his bottle around in a circle with his fingers. "You've had something on your mind for awhile, AJ." He took a sip of his beer. "Better to just say it and get it over with."

Straightening in his chair he put his soda aside. "I've been meaning to." He sighed. "So here it goes..." AJ looked Jason straight in the eye. "When you were gone while back, I came into Jakes... and I was feeling really sorry for myself." AJ laughed a little, a rough sound that grated on his throat. "I ordered up a soda and sat there at the bar..." he saw Jason's curious look. "Carly came in and sat next to me. We talked."

Jason felt Aj's discomfort, but he didn't try to interrupt.

"We were talking," he repeated, "and somehow..." AJ struggled to lift his eyes to meet Jason's. "And somehow," he swallowed, "I woke up in bed... your bed... with Carly in the shower."

Jason just looked at him. Cold, impersonal. Jason just looked at him.

AJ looked down at the table top, staring at his hands wrapped around the soda glass. "I was naked under the covers and Carly... when she came out of the shower... she said we'd... that we had sex." AJ continued on fast. "I would never do that to you, Jason... or at least I thought I would never do it... I don't know why I did... I don't even remember it," he waved his hand in frustration, "not that it's a reason or an excuse, Jason... but I wanted to tell you... so we didn't have any secrets between us. I didn't mean to keep it from you, we just never-"

"Carly and I aren't seeing each other anymore." Jason looked up at him. "I didn't love her, but I don't share."

"Look, Jason..." he leaned forward, "I'm sorry. I never meant for this to ha-"

Jason stood up, the scrape of his chair turned a number of eyes their way. "You didn't mean for it to happen... but it did." Jason shook his head, reaching into this pocket for a large bill, he dropped it on the table. "I turned my back on her for sleeping around, AJ. I don't know how I feel about you... but I need some time to think about it."

AJ stood. "I get it. And for what it's worth, Jason. I still don't know how it happened... I'm not attracted to her... I don't even remember getting up the stairs and-"

"Then you've got bigger problems than the drink, AJ." Jason walked away and left AJ staring into his soda. He was glad he told Jason...the secret was eating him up inside. AJ knew he needed to apologize to Jason so he could move forward with his life. He hoped that his brother would forgive him.

-Gate House-

Elizabeth took the popcorn bowl from AJ and set it on the coffee table in front of the couch. He skirted around the sofa and put the drinks down in front of them. "I'm glad you could come over tonight, Elizabeth."

He brushed a kiss against her lips before he flopped down beside her.

Leaning against his side she sat back and looked at the cable schedule. "What do you want to watch?"

AJ shrugged. "Whatever you want."

Elizabeth's grin should have been a dead giveaway. "Oh... here's a movie I've been wanting to see." She pointed at the name in the schedule and AJ felt the skin on his face tighten. "How about something a little less..."

"Girlie?"

He looked relieved. "Yeah... something a little less sappy."

"Sappy," she shook her head. Turning the page, she started to look through the schedule and this time it was AJ that offered up a suggestion. "Really?" She grumbled. "Is there one minute of actual conversation in that film beyond car chases and guns?"

AJ looked shocked. "You want people to talk in a film?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and grabbed the remote, punching in a couple of numbers. An action adventure film filled the screen and she dropped the remote on the table. "Next film is going to be very very Girlie.. just to push your buttons."

As they watched... correction... as AJ watched the film, Elizabeth was thinking back to her conversation with Emily a few days before. Emily and Nikolas had finally made love and Emily was gushing about it. She hadn't given Liz any 'real' details, but Elizabeth had read her share of bodice ripping romance novels and knew the things that were supposed to happen between a woman and the man she was in love with.

Stuff that she and AJ weren't going to get to do for quite awhile.

Shifting on the couch she snuggled in closer and realized that without trying to do it, she'd set her hand on AJ's leg. She felt him shift beside her, his thigh muscles contracting beneath her hand. With the cold weather roaring outside, they were both dressed warmly, but even with his jeans he's felt her touch.

Elizabeth tried to focus on the movie before them, but it was nearly impossible. She remembered what Carly had said about him. He was an older guy... he was over 20 years old... he was a man who could have his pick of women... older, mature, experienced women... and he was here with her.

"Hey?" AJ touched her chin, turning her head toward him. "You've got something you're stressing about.. what is it?"

She brightened her smile. "Nothing... nothing.. I'm jus fi-"

"Elizabeth," he softened his voice to whisper to her, "let me in... let me help you."

She tried to look up at him, but her eyes were focused on his mouth. The same mouth that had kissed her so thoroughly under the arbor at Wyndemere. "Nothing is wrong, AJ... I swear."

She could tell he didn't quite believe her. His shoulders slumped and his head hung a little from his neck.

"AJ." She tucked her knees up underneath her body and turned to look at him. His blue eyes met hers, questioning. "There's nothing wrong... I've just been thinking about something for the last week... well... longer than the last week and..." she looked at him... saw the patient way he was listening to her. "And I know what I want to do about it."

He nodded. "Great... I'm all for you making decisions, Elizabeth. I want you to be happy."

"You do?" She asked the stupid question because it was sitting there on her tongue. "Okay, great." She set her hands on his shoulders and smiled at him.

"What is it?" AJ asked her as he looked into her beautiful blue eyes.

"You know I love you."

He smiled and put one of his hands on her hip. "And you know I love you."

Elizabeth rose up on her knees... drawing in a breath as she leaned forward, putting more pressure on his shoulders. "And I want you to know..." she swept the tip of her tongue over her lips, "I want you to..." AJ watched her, every movement was truly beautiful, "I want you, AJ."

His heart stopped. He was absolutely sure of it.

"I want you to... to be with me... to show me what it's like... when a woman is with a man she loves."

Before AJ could say a word or even think of one, Elizabeth leaned forward and slanted her lips over his.

He held it together for another moment, but when she leaned back and blinked at him, her eyes shining with worry. He couldn't help the way his heart swelled with love for her.. the way he seemed to breath in the very air she breathed... the way he wanted to make her happy. Snaking his hand around the back of her neck he drew her close and kissed her.

He had every intention of keeping his wits about him, he had every intention of being careful, until her tongue darted against his lips, the tentative touch rocked him to the soles of his feet. He opened his lips, allowing her tongue to sweep in to his mouth, his own stroked and danced with hers while he struggled to keep his body from reacting to her intimate kiss.

He managed it... barely, as he struggled to allow her to explore... to take control... to be the one in charge... to- his thoughts ended right there as he felt her hand slip between their bodies and reach for the waistband of his jeans.

"Whoa, hey." AJ grabbed her shoulders and set her back away from him as he tried to control the surge of blood flowing to all kinds of dangerous places in his body. "Wow."

Elizabeth was blushing furiously, her ears a delicious shade of pink. "Yeah, wow... AJ, I..." she reached out to him and pulled the hem of his t-shirt from his jeans, her fingertips skimming along his abdominal muscles, "I want to make you happy." Her fingertips dipped low toward his pants again and he moved himself away from her until his back bumped up against the arm of the sofa.

"Elizabeth.. I'm just happy to be here with you... really."

"But," she bit into her bottom lip as she looked at him, "I don't understand... you love me... but you don't want to... to... be with me?"

AJ groaned, his hand scrubbing over his face as though he could erase the whole situation. "Of course I do, Elizabeth, but it's not as simple as that... and you know it."

But to Elizabeth it was that simple. It was. And if it wasn't to him...

Carly's voice hissed into her ear. "You better hold on to your man, Lizzie. AJ needs a woman who's willing to give him anything he wants from her... anything."

She'd tried... she really had... Elizabeth jumped up from the couch and ran into the bedroom closing the bathroom door behind her.

_-Next Episode -_

_Lies and Secrets abound..._


	42. Step 42

_-Last Episode-_

_Elizabeth, urged on by Carly's calculating words, tried to show AJ how much she loved him._

**Step 42**

-Gate House-

Emily didn't even have to knock when she got to the door, AJ swung it open before she could raise her hand. "What's wrong?"

AJ pulled her inside and shut the door tight behind her. "Elizabeth." He let out a breath. "Okay, this goes no further than this room," Emily's angry look told him he'd stepped on her manicured tones, "we were watching a movie and we started kissing..." he saw his sister's curious look, but continued on, "and then she said she wanted to... she said she wanted us to... and I couldn't." He sighed. "You know I can't... not now."

Emily felt like a complete asshole. "Oh my God!" She looked up at AJ. "It's all my fault!"

Staring back at his sister, AJ felt completely at a loss. "What are you talking about?"

"I was telling her about how good it was with Nikolas."

The thought shocked him for a minute. "What about you and Nikolas?"

She cuffed him on the shoulder. "You worry about my sex life later, AJ." She sighed, "I'm legal... Liz on the other hand... isn't." She smoothed over the area she'd just smacked. "You were just worried about her." Shaking her head, Emily sighed again. "Still, that doesn't mean much when you're in love and wanting to have sex with your boyfriend."

"Make love," he argued, "with Elizabeth it would never be 'just' sex."

"So you said no and..."

AJ pointed toward his room. "She 's in the bathroom."

"And she probably feels worse because she's hiding from you." Emily pointed at the couch. "Just stay there. I'll call you if I need you, okay?"

"Sure, yeah... okay... thanks, Em."

She gave him a hug and a kiss on his cheek. "She's my best friend, you're my brother, and I think I had a part to play in this, so I'm going to help you fix it."

-Gate House Bathroom-

Elizabeth was mortified. She'd set out to prove to AJ that she was a strong mature woman and she'd ended up hiding in his bathroom! Leaning her head back against the tiles she sighed. "I'm such an idiot!"

A knock sounded at the door. "Liz? Hey, it's Emily. Can I come in?"

Dropping her forehead to her knees she held back a sob. "Sure..."

Emily turned around to give AJ an encouraging smile before she opened the bathroom door and stepped in. She knelt down beside Liz and opened her arms. Elizabeth rose up on her knees and hugged Emily until her knees began to ache from the tiles.

-General Hospital Test Lab-

Carly stepped inside the lab and smiled. Tucked in the back station of the lab was the same tech that Capelli had blackmailed. This was just perfect. She walked around the room, skirting the other tables until she came to his station. "Franklin, right?"

He looked up at her. "Yeah... who are you?"

Grinning, she whispered into his ear. "I know what Capelli had on you."

His mouth set in a thin white line. "Why can't I just catch a break?" He set her folder down with a thud. "He's dead!"

"Yes," Carly agreed, "but I have everything he had on you, Franklin... and if you want to keep the police from finding out, then you need to keep me happy."

He looked like he wanted to strangle her, but the lab tech sighed and stared at her. "Fine... what do you want?"

Leaning against his counter she motioned for him to come closer. "Here's what you're going to do for me, Franky."

-Gate House Bathroom-

Elizabeth stared down at her hands when she couldn't meet her friend's sympathetic gaze. "I made such a horrible fool of myself, Em!" She fisted her hands in the hem of her tshirt. "I'm such a mess.. i can't even get this right!"

"Liz! Hey!" Emily grabbed her hands and waited until Elizabeth looked up at her. "Don't do this to yourself."

"I threw myself at him, Em! I was going to give myself to him and he said no."

"Liz, come one, sweetie, think about it." Emily wanted to shake her friend. "I should never have told you about me and Nikolas."

"No," Elizabeth swiped at her tears. "You were so happy and I... I wanted to make AJ happy too."

Emily hung her head and squeezed Elizabeth's hands. "I know, Liz, but that's the reason why he said no." She tried to give her friend a shoulder but not to let her get too wrapped up in her worries. "Remember when your Grams was going to have him arrested for sleeping with you?"

The truth hit Liz in one big wallop and she went from stunned to giggle in 2.5 seconds.

Emily joined her a moment later and the two girls clung to each other as they laughed.

-The Quartermaine Mansion -

Carly closed the door of her beat-up old car and squared her shoulders. She walked up the front steps and pushed the doorbell. She almost expected someone dressed up in a tux or something to come to the door. Instead it was a really tall woman that looked like she could bench press a couple hundred pounds without breaking a sweat.

The woman stared down at her. "May I help you?"

"My name is Caroline Roberts," she grinned at the woman, "I'm here to see the Quartermaines."

Alice didn't move. She continued to look down at Carly. "About?"

Carly's goodwill and cheery attitude was quickly dissolving. "I have something very important to tell them."

-The Gate House-

The bathroom door opened up and Elizabeth followed Emily out of the smaller room, her cheeks already flushed with shame. Emily swept past her brother, brushing a kiss on his cheek on her way out the door, leaving the couple alone. Elizabeth walked slowly up to AJ, her lower lip tucked in between her teeth. When she was nearly toe to toe with him she reached out and took his hands in hers. "I want to apologize, AJ."

"You don't need to, honey." AJ whispered in her ear. "You don't need to... I should have handled it better."

She shook her head and her long hair brushed against his chest. Even with his tshirt on, the soft curls of her hair sent chills up his spine. It wasn't until she looked up into his eyes that the shivers he felt changed to heat.

Elizabeth swept her tongue over her bottom lip to wet it. "I handled it really badly," she explained, "I know why you stopped me... why you stopped us," she sighed, "but I can't help but want it just the same."

AJ groaned deep in his throat and brought her hands up to his lips. "I want it too." He brushed kisses over her knuckles. "I want you so much.. but this... just isn't the time."

"Are you okay," she laughed a little, "waiting?"

He brushed a kiss over her lips, enjoying the taste of her lips beneath his once again. "Elizabeth... I will wait for you... besides you have to do the same thing, right?"

She slipped one hand free of his and slid it up to the back of his neck. "But there are things we can do, right?"

AJ slid one hand around to her lower back, flattening his palm against the feminine curve of her waist. "Yes... there's a bunch of things," he leaned down and kissed the column of her neck right below her ear before he brushed his lips against her earlobe, "that we could do."

When his teeth nipped at her ear her knees buckled and he held her against his taller frame with a gentle embrace. He listened to the soft pant of her breath as he turned to bring their lips together in a long sensual kiss.

For a moment he stopped, watching her eyes flutter open so he could see the deep blue of her eyes. "I love you, Elizabeth."

Instead of echoing his words she rose up on her toes and kissed him.

-The Quartermaine Mansion-

Emily let herself in and heard a lot of voices in the living room. "Mom?"

No one answered her but she wasn't surprised, there were a lot of people talking at once.

When her father caught sight of her in the doorway he stood. "Emily! You're home!"

She nodded. "Yeah, I was just over at the Gatehouse with Liz and AJ and-"

"Well," their grandfather barked, "I hope he's not over there making yet another mistake!"

"Edward!" Lila's voice rose above her husband's because of its indignant tone. "That's a horrible thing to say."

"Well," he blustered, "what do you expect me to think, dear." He gestured toward the fireplace. "This girl comes here an tells us that he... that he..." he threw his hands in the air, frustrated.

"Wait," Emily was struggling to understand what was going on. Her mother held the phone to her ear.

"AJ still isn't picking up the phone."

"When I left," Emily grinned, "he and Elizabeth were making up."

"Making up?" Edward spat the words. "Is that what he was doing with you, Miss Roberts?"

Emily was staring at Carly. "What is grandfather talking about, Carly?"

Tossing her dirty blonde curls back from her face she looked at the younger girl with a smile that would make any cat proud. "I wanted to come and tell you family the good news first... before the newspapers and tv stations hear about it." She didn't get any reaction from Emily so she continued on, smoothing her hand over her nearly flat belly. "AJ is going to be a daddy."

_Next Episode -_

_The tide is against our young lovers... and the undertow could kill you._


	43. Step 43

_Last Episode -_

_Carly Roberts showed up on the Q's doorstep with news..._

**Step 43**

Elizabeth felt the blood drain from her face as she listened to the words coming out of Carly's mouth.

Carly. Jason's ex-girlfriend. She was pregnant.

With AJ's child.

AJ.

She looked up when she realized that he was saying her name. Blinking at him, she managed to put sound with the movement of his lips.

"Elizabeth? You okay?"

Okay.

There was no way that she was okay... or anything like it. She swallowed while she tried to think of an answer. Looking from AJ's face to Emily, her face white with shock, but the tips of her ears read with impending fury. Even Edward managed to give her the ghost of a sympathetic smile. Monica and Alan's expressions were a constant shifting menagerie of emotions. She could even deal with the cat-like grin on Carly's smug face. She could handle them in stride.

She'd handled worse and lived to tell her secrets.

But... when she looked at Lila. The matriarch of the Quartermaine family was especially dear to her. The soft look of pain in her eyes as Lila gazed at Elizabeth, the empathetic hint of smile on her lips. "Elizabeth, dear, how are you feeling?"

Blinking back tears, Elizabeth tried to give Lila a bright smile. "I-"

"Elizabeth?" Carly's voice drilled through the soft side conversations in the room and turned every eye to her. "Why are you worried about how she's feeling?" Carly's expression was clearly confused. "I'm the one who's pregnant here!"

"Well," Emily growled under her breath, "Elizabeth is welcome here."

Turning her best winsome expression to Edward, Carly inserted herself between AJ and Elizabeth. "But since I'm going to be the mother of the next Quartermaine heir," she gave Emily a pointed look, "I'm sure your grandfather is more than happy to see me."

Elizabeth backed away as AJ tried to extricate his arm from Carly's grasp.

"Elizabeth, wait."

She looked up at him and he saw the confusion in her eyes. Pain, worry, loss, tears...

"We need to talk."

Carly jumped in on cue. "Yes, AJ, we need to talk." Grabbing his hand she pressed it low on her abdomen and watched him stiffen, his jaw tighten. "See? That's our baby growing."

Elizabeth was horrified. She watched the realization dawn over AJ's face. Saw the subtle shift of tension from his face.

In her head she was busily going over options like if only they'd ignored the call when they were at the Gate House. If only she'd left instead of coming in with him. If only... if only she didn't care for him.

If only she wasn't head over heels, forever in love with AJ Quartermaine she could survive this with her heart intact.

"Elizabeth, hey." Emily was at her side, holding her hand. "I for one don't believe it." Emily lifted her chin when Carly turned toward her, eyes narrowed. "We need a paternity test... now."

Elizabeth looked back at AJ, willing him to say it wasn't possible. Tell her that he didn't sleep with Jason's girlfriend. Her eyes pleaded with him to say something.

AJ felt his stomach tie itself in knots. He felt the small swelling beneath his hand and he nearly cried. No. Not now. Not her.

He looked down at Carly and saw the triumph in her eyes. He almost shook himself. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Why are you doing this?" He ground out the words between his teeth. "Why?"

Carly's fingers bit into his forearm. "Doing what, AJ?" She chuckled a little, leaning closer, "you're the one who did it to me." She winked and he nearly lost his lunch. "I know you were a little out of it, hell you nearly fell going up the stairs at Jakes, but once we got up in the room, you didn't want to leave," leaning up toward his ear she spoke in a louder than necessary voice, "you had me good an pinned on that bed, you were all over me."

"Young lady!" Edward's voice cut through the heavy weight in the room. "That is quite enough. There is no need to go into detail, thank you."

"I, for one," Monica launched herself into the conversation now that the shock had worn off, "want to have you come to GH for a complete examination."

Carly's expression was cold. "You don't believe me."

"To be fair," Alan continued on, "this is out of the blue, Miss Roberts. Up until know we barely knew you.. . and you were with-"

"Jason." AJ's voice sounded numb. "You were Jason's girlfriend."

Carly slid her hand up his chest. "That didn't seem to bother you until the next morning." Her smirk made him shudder.

"Come on," Emily tugged on Elizabeth's arm, "we don't have to stick around for these lies. Let's go do something while my parent's figure out a way to expose her for the lying bitch she is."

No one corrected Emily... normally, her crass language would have earned her a stern look and cautioning phrase, but somehow everyone let this one go.

"AJ?" Elizabeth couldn't leave. Not just yet. She looked up at him, hoping that he would explain it all.

Wrenching his arm from Carly's grip he moved over to Elizabeth, taking her shoulders gently in his hands. "Sweetheart," he leaned closer to press a kiss on her cheek. While she didn't move away she didn't lean into him either. When he pulled away he saw the confusion still written on her features. "Elizabeth, we need to talk."

"It's true?" AJ didn't argue the point with her. He didn't deny it. "Did you sleep with her?"

He wanted to say no. He wanted to tell her this was all a bad dream.

He couldn't.

Elizabeth reached out her hand and Emily took it, squeezing it tight. "I'm going to go home now."

When she was almost to the door, AJ called out. "Elizabeth, wait!"

Turning, she looked at him, and then followed Emily out of the room.

The hollow thud of the front door closing echoed in his ears.

He swung around to face Carly, his eyes wide and his shoulders rising and falling with strain of breathing. "Why did you do this?" Before she could answer him he continued on. "You come here... you go behind my back to my family?" AJ's voice rose. "Why did you come here first? You knew where I was?"

Carly watched his expression, saw the warning sides of anger in his eyes. She knew he didn't love her but she also didn't want him to hate her either. "I thought you'd turn your back on me," she sighed, "I knew you were with that girl and I didn't either of you would listen to me."

"Oh, I'd listen, alright," he shot back, "I'd listen and then I would have marched you right down to the hospital to find out if you were telling the truth."

"We slept together, AJ." She hissed out the words. "That's the truth."

He heaved in breath after breath, struggling to keep his temper in check. "I don't remember a damn thing about that night, Carly. I remember you talking to me at the bar and then... the next morning."

"That's what happens," she sighed, reaching out to gently touch his arm, "when you drink, AJ. But that's why I'm more than happy to go to GH and take a paternity test." She turned to the rest of the assembled Quartermaines. "You'll see... when the results come out. You'll see that the baby is his."

-Hardy House -

Elizabeth sat on her bed barely breathing... barely conscious. She stared ahead at the wall and willed herself to scream. Cry. Throw something. Anything to prove that she was still alive... still human.

She must have sat there for hours, because when Audrey opened her bedroom door and called to her, the shadows had crawled all the way across the room, leaving Elizabeth sitting in the near dark.

"Elizabeth, dear." Audrey moved closer to her, her hand clasped before her, her head tucked down so she could look into Elizabeth's eyes. "I heard about AJ at the hospital."

Elizabeth looked up slightly and blinked at her grandmother.

"I was there when Monica and AJ brought in that girl, Caroline Roberts. A few minutes later the whole hospital was talking about it."

Audrey sat next to her on the bed and reached out a hand to touch her lightly on the arm.

Elizabeth didn't move at all.

Squeezing gently, Audrey tried to smile. "AJ looked so upset, Elizabeth... he was truly suffering the whole time she was there." Silence continued from her granddaughter. "I know I've been hard on you about your relationship to AJ, Elizabeth, but-"

"Don't." Elizabeth's protest was soft but there was a strength to the tone of her word. "Don't. Please.

"Elizabeth," Audrey crooned to her, trying to sooth her hurt feelings, "I just want you to know that I'm here."

"Grams..." she gulped in a breath, unable to actually put together words, and leaned into her grandmother's shoulder. When Audrey put her arms around her, Elizabeth returned the gesture and sank into her grandmother's arms and finally let the tears go.

-Gate House-

AJ pushed himself up and off the couch and answered the door. Standing outside was Edward Quartermaine.

Stepping back to let the older man in he closed the door behind him and waited.

Edward looked around at the place and nodded. "You've certainly done a good job keeping it up, AJ."

"Thanks." He waited. "We both know you're not here to check up on my housekeeping."

Edward shook his head, a little smile tickling his lips. "Right to point, AJ. I admire that." He looked down at his hands and sighed. "I'm glad you're looking this thing straight in the eye."

Instead of enjoying his grandfather's approval, AJ felt like an absolute monster. "I'm hurting Elizabeth, grandfather. No matter what happens, I've hurt her and I can't fix it." He sighed. "If this is my baby... I don't think I'll be able to forgive myself." He shook off a little of his self pity. "That's why you're here aren't you? The baby."

Shrugging, Edward gave AJ a look. "You know me so well... family is everything to the Quartermaines... you know that."

"If this is my child, you won't need to worry, Grandfather, I'm going to take care of the baby and its mother and-"

"I wanted you to think about exactly what that means, AJ."

AJ felt like shackles just closed around his legs. "I know what YOU want, Grandfather, but I'm not going to-"

"It's late," the older man cut him off. "You're tired... you've been up late... waiting for Caroline to get the test done... so right now you're not thinking clearly." Edward walked back to the door and stopped, his hand on the knob. "You need to think about this, AJ. A man with the power that you'll be wielding... if he has a family with more than one woman... the children," Edward sighed, "will most likely end up hating each other and tearing our family apart. Just think about that."

"All I'm doing," AJ groaned, "is thinking about it."

_Next Episode -_

_Everyone is waiting on the results of the test... will the truth be known? _


	44. Step 44

_Last Episode -_

_Elizabeth was shocked to find out that AJ may have fathered Carly's baby... the fall out continues_

**Step 44**

The wait for a complete panel of tests to match paternity would take a few days and while they waited, AJ struggled to keep things as 'normal' as it could be. Then again, he realized, his life was never very normal to begin with.

Cuddling on the sofa with Elizabeth, AJ felt the whole situation like a wall between them. She was warm beside him, her hand in his, her head on his shoulder... and still... this wall. The movie on the screen passed by. Scene after scene of something and he couldn't remember anything they'd watched. He could only feel the beat of her heart where their palms touched, heard her breath... every soft inhale and exhale as they sat beside each other.

AJ turned slightly on the seat and looked at her. The soft curve of her nose, the dark lashes that brushed against her cheeks, the plump flush of her lips. Every inch of her was beautiful. Every inch of her humbled him... made him dream.

"You're staring at me." She didn't turn to him. "Kind of like I look at you sometimes."

She continued to watch the tv and he was left staring at her in wonder.

"You watch me sometimes?"

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "A lot, actually." She looked at him for a moment before turning back to the screen. "I probably shouldn't tell you."

AJ wasn't going to let it end there. Leaning closer, AJ reached out and touched her cheek with the backs of his fingers, gently stroking across her skin before he tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm no artist," he explained, "but looking at you I wish I could paint the way you do... or maybe sculpt or something creative. I don't have a creative bone in my body, Elizabeth... but-"

She kissed him. Her hands on either side of his face, leaning against his body, Elizabeth kissed him.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulled her closer, tilted his head to the side and slanted a kiss across her mouth, feeling her moan as if it was his own.

Elizabeth snaked a hand through his hair feeling the soft lengths tickle her palm as she pushed closer... ever closer.

AJ was ever conscious of Elizabeth and how close she was, he had no intention of scaring her by letting her feel how aroused he was. There was no way that he was going to scare her anymore. Still, he couldn't help the way he felt when her lips parted against his...

-Corinthos Morgan Coffee Warehouse-

Emily greeted the guards and waited patiently for Jason to come out of the warehouse. When he did it was easy for him to see that his sister was upset. Grabbing his leather jacket from the hook he walked her outside with a couple of his men following behind at a discreet distance. They walked for more than block before he spoke. "You want to talk?"

Shrugging, Emily continued to walk for a bit. The two of them listening to the world around them.

It wasn't until they crossed the street to the park that Emily finally began to talk. "I want to know what you know about Carly."

Jason sighed. "Things are never as simple as they should be." He dropped his arm over Emily's shoulders and gave her a half-hug. "When I met Carly it was all pretty simple. It was sex. That's all we wanted from each other." Jason shook his head. "Then she started wanting to break the rules between us. She wanted to stay the night... or have sex without protection. There was no way I wanted that."

Emily looked up at him. "Don't you want children?"

"Not now..." he looked back at the warehouse, "I have enough to worry about right now. I don't want to worry what will happen to children... if Sonny's competition found out about any kids I might have."

"I guess that would be really dangerous."

Jason nodded. "If it happens to me... then it happens. I decided to take the job."

Emily stopped short, turning to look at Jason. "Did you know about AJ and Carly?" She watched his hard features turn to stone.

"AJ told me."

She shoved her hands in her pockets. "I don't want to believe he would do it." She looked up at Jason, her eyes watering. "He wasn't dating Liz back then," she continued to think out loud, "but I know he was falling for her... probably had fallen by then. So I don't see him... you know... I just can't see him-"

"Having sex with Carly."

Emily cringed, her mouth twisting in a grimace. "I can barely imagine it in my head."

"I don't want to try." His wry tone almost sounded like a joke... almost.

"I'm sorry, Jason." Emily sighed and started walking again. "I'm not saying about your taste in women." She stopped and turned to look at his expression, one brow raised at him. "Okay... yeah, I am... why her? Can't you tell that she's... that she's... ugh... a crazy bitch?"

Jason shook his head. "I wasn't really concerned about her personality."

Emily folded her arms across her chest. "Men."

- General Hospital Laboratory-

Franklin stared at the results of the paternity test marked Caroline Roberts.

Match to Alan James Quartermaine, Jr. 0%

Turning to the computer he typed in another search. This time, because he was bored he decided to try another test. Widening the search, he waited for the computer to wind through all the records in GH's database. The computer didn't take as long as he thought, beeping its announcement out loud in the quiet of the laboratory.

Curious he printed out the results and stared at them. "No sh*t." He stared at the results as if the words would change while he watched them.

The door opened and Monica Quartermaine was standing in the doorway. "I came to see if you had a result on the Roberts test."

Franklin felt the muscles around his heart seize. "No."

"No?" Monica tried to look around him toward the computer. The screens were all turned toward the back wall where the desks were. "You should have them by now."

"I have many tests and reports to do, Dr. Quartermaine." Franklin tried to keep eye contact and keep his voice level in tone. "We'll have the results tomorrow as I promised."

She gave him another look and then a drawn out sigh. "This isn't just hospital business," she admitted, "this is about family."

Franklin swallowed and nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

After Dr. Quartermaine left, Franklin stared at the door as though Dr. Quartermaine was going to come barging back through the door and ask for his head on a platter. She said this was about family for her. He respected that... respected her, but this for him was about keeping his head above water and he was going to do what he needed to do... for himself.

-Gate House-

AJ stretched out on the couch and watched Elizabeth sleep beside him, her head on his shoulder, her arm around his middle. He was hoping that she was comfortable, because he didn't want her to move. Didn't want her to get up... didn't want her to leave... didn't want the next morning to dawn.

Tomorrow might make their lives a lot easier... or it might make things harder.

He thought back to his conversation with Edward when they talked about his future... the future of his family. Now, as he lay there on the couch, with Elizabeth slumbering lightly at his side it affirmed to him that she was the one he wanted by his side... as his family. He only hoped that once the results of the test came in... his wants and his dreams were the only thing that mattered.

He slipped his fingers through hers, lacing their hands together as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. In an hour, he'd have to wake her up and drive her home, but for now... they could just be together and he... could dream.

-Kelly's-

Tony knocked on the door and waited, his mind whirling with so many questions. When the door finally opened he forgot everything he planned. He stared at Carly and when he saw the way her dress was starting to stretch over her belly. He felt a myriad of emotions flood through his body. Wonder, fear, worry, anger... "Is it mine?"

Carly's confusion melted away and color flared in her cheeks. "What are you talking about?"

"The baby." Tony reached out to touch her stomach and she stepped away from him. "Is the baby mine?"

"No." Carly set her jaw and glared at him. "It's AJ's."

Tony shook his head. "How long have you been sleeping with him?" He grabbed at his chest, trying to ease the pain. "How could you sleep with him when you were with me?"

"I wasn't 'with' you, Tony... not really," she felt off balance with him there. She thought that she put Tony Jones behind her. "How did you even know about the baby?" She narrowed a look at him. "Did you check my file at General Hospital?" Her face flared with heat.

"No," he shook his head, "but everyone's talking about it. Monica and Alan have been hovering near the laboratory. They've been waiting for answers and I can't blame them. AJ is their child... and your baby," he cleared his throat, "your baby could be mine."

"It's not, Tony... give up on this... give up on me."

His eyes misted over as he looked at her body, his eyes resting on the growing swell of her belly. "I can't, Carly... I can't get you out of my head... I ache for you in the middle of the night when-"

"When you're lying next to Bobbie... just great visual there, Tony..." She grabbed the door and was about to swing it shut when Tony stopped it with his hand.

"Understand this, Carly... you may think you've got me good... but I'm telling you, if you jerk me around... you won't like what I do."

_Next Episode-_

_The test results are in..._


	45. Step 45

_Last Episode -_

_Tony confronted Carly, Monica went to see the Lab Tech, and AJ dreamed of a future with Elizabeth..._

**Step 45**

-General Hospital

There were times when having family in high places helped... The Quartermaines were all assembled in the hospital boardroom, waiting for the news. Lila was at the center of the group, Edward standing behind her with his hands on her shoulders. Monica and Alan hovered by the door and Emily perched on the edge of the boardroom table with Elizabeth's hand in hers. AJ held her other hand tightly in his, his heart painfully beating in his chest.

Edward leaned closer and cleared his throat in a way that he felt was surreptitious. "How are you feeling, AJ?"

Feeling Elizabeth's hand squeeze his gently, he was able to speak. "Like I want to throw up."

Edward continued to talk, droning on about family heritage and pride and so many other things that really didn't matter at the moment. AJ could only nod at odd times and pretend to listen. Feeling Elizabeth's reassuring warmth beside him he let his mind drift back to the day after Carly had come to the mansion and blown his life apart. He'd gone to her grandmother's house after school and when Elizabeth walked up the sidewalk she'd seen him standing on the porch.

_He'd seen the way she froze for a moment, her feet glued to the sidewalk, her eyes widening as if she was thinking a million thoughts at a time and she didn't know what to do. _

_Then, a heartbreaking moment later, she'd walked up the driveway to stand before him. "Hey."_

_He'd opened his mouth but he couldn't say the million things in his head so he settled for, "Hey."_

_Elizabeth watched him, her eyes darkening in the shade, her mouth softening as she looked at him. _

_AJ wanted to say the right things. He wanted to prove to her that this wasn't going to be the end of them. He wanted to go back in time and take it all back. And while he thought through all of those things, she waited. _

_"I have no excuses for you." The words were harsh to his own ears, coming out in a rush. "I don't deserve any forgiveness for what happened between me and... I can't even say her name."_

_Elizabeth watched him closely. "She said it was awhile ago... she said you were at Jake's looking for Jason... she said you got drunk." She bit her lip for a moment and then continued. "I think I remember that... the next morning. You said... you'd fallen off the wagon all on your own." Shifting her school books to one arm she reached up her hand to his cheek. "Was that the night?"_

_He nodded, feeling the soft brush of her skin against the warmth of his cheek. "Yeah."_

_"Have you been," she took in a shuddering breath, "drinking since then?" _

_"No." His answer was immediate and strong. The truth._

_Elizabeth dropped her books on the handrail and wrapped her arms around his middle. "Thank God."_

_Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her slender form and hugged her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Thank you."_

_She shook her head and he felt his breath catch as he felt her lips through his shirt. _

_"I mean it, Elizabeth. I don't know what made me take a drink. I don't even remember ordering one... but when I woke up the next morning... realized the horribly stupid thing I'd done... all I could think of was that you needed a better man than me. You needed someone who was strong enough to be sober."_

_"I need you, AJ." She leaned back in his arms and looked up at him. "I don't need you to 'be' something for me... I don't need anything like that." She reached up, flattening her hand against the center of his chest. "I love spending time with you. I love holding you." She rose up on her toes and AJ met her partway for a kiss. "And I love kissing you... but more than anything... it's just you and me." _

_"And I love you, Elizabeth."_

_She took in one breath after another and then continued. "And Carly?"_

_AJ shook his head back and forth as if he was trying to clear his head. "Nothing... I thought she was annoying whenever she and Jason would come over, so I just don't understand how I could-"_

_"Are you attracted to her?"_

_"No." Again, a quick reply, his eyes level on her hers. "Not at all."_

_Elizabeth wanted to ask him more. He saw the look on her face, but he wasn't going to pressure her. Not now... not ever... not Elizabeth._

And now, feeling her hand in his, warm and reassuring, he knew they had a good thing... something he wanted to protect... to nurture. He only hoped he got the chance.

The door to the boardroom opened up and everyone took in a breath. Jason looked at the assembled group and nodded before he crossed to Lila, ignoring Edward entirely. "Grandmother." Brushing a kiss on her cheek he moved on to hug Emily. "Hey..."

"Thanks for coming, Jason."

He gave his brother a look before turning to Elizabeth. "How are you?"

Her smile was almost bright. "Breathing."

- General Hospital -

Carly hovered outside the lab and when the coast was clear, she knocked on the window.

Inside, Franklin was swallowing over and over, trying to get his voice back. Apparently, his throat wasn't happy with him. Apparently, he had a hypocrisy meter that didn't like him very much. When he saw Carly through the window he tried to wave her off, but she wasn't going to budge.

He crossed the room and flung the door open. "Go away before someone sees you."

She pushed him back inside and closed the door behind her. "I just want to make sure you're holding up YOUR end of our bargain."

"First," he swallowed hard, "this isn't a bargain... it's blackmail. And I'm going to 'uphold' my end... because I don't want to go to jail."

Carly's grin was hawkish and she gave him a wink. "That's what I wanted to hear." She leaned closer. "Be good to me, Franklin," sigh sighed a little, "and I'll be good to you."

He blanched at the odd sound of her voice. "Just keep my secret. That's all I want."

-General Hospital Hallway-

Lucky stopped short when the Lab door opened and nearly smacked him in the face. The blonde that left the lab wasn't wearing a lab coat or an ID tag. She didn't see him as she rushed off. He thought she looked familiar somehow, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it.

The door opened up again and he held up his hand to keep it from hitting his face. "Hey!"

The guy in the lab coat stared at him. "What are you doing out here?"

Lucky sputtered a little. "I was going to meet my Aunt Bobbie."

The tech leaned closer, his eyes dark and foreboding. "What did you hear?"

"Hear?" Lucky held up his hands in defense. "What did I hear?" He didn't like the way the man was looking at him. "Nothing, I was walking down the hallway when that girl almost smacked me with the door."

The tech turned around and then back to him. "You better forget you saw her.. you forget you talked to me. You hear?"

"Sure... sure..." Lucky backed away and nearly ran down the hall, talking to Aunt Bobbie would have to wait.

-General Hospital Board Room-

When the door opened again and Carly stepped inside the room went utterly quiet. Carly took it in stride, plastering a smile on her face as she looked at everyone in turn. "Wow... everyone's here." She turned her gaze to AJ and saw Jason nearby. "How nice to see both brother's here."

Emily sighed loudly. "Oh please."

Carly gave Emily a bright smile. "I mean it, the Quartermaines are a wonderful family and I'm proud to be-"

"Nothing has been proven, Carly." Monica bristled at the assumption that Carly was making. "Once we get the results-"

"Yes," Carly agreed, "once we get the results, you'll know that I'm part of the family."

"I'm going to throw up."

Jason put a hand on Emily's shoulder and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "Not now, Emily."

She quieted down only when she saw the way Elizabeth had gone pale. Her hand was chilly and clammy to the touch. "Elizabeth? You okay?"

Carly rolled her eyes. "What is this? A replay of the last time? I'm the one who's pregnant... not her!"

"You're not going to talk about Elizabeth." AJ pulled Elizabeth tight up against his side, pressing a kiss to her head. Elizabeth was the one he wanted to be the mother of his children. This was just crazy.

"I'm going to talk about who I want to talk about, AJ."

Edward scoffed at the situation. "I can't see how either of you boys thought that sleeping with this woman was a good idea."

Carly smirked at the older man. "There wasn't ever a whole lot of sleeping... with either of them."

Lila shuddered and Edward bent down to check on her. "If you would," she began, "I would prefer if the details of your private life would stay... private."

Carly actually looked contrite.

The door opened and the lab tech came in. All eyes were on him. "Dr. Quartermaine, this is the result of the test you've been waiting for."

Monica took the paper in her hands. "Thank you," she barely met his eyes, "I appreciate you bringing it to us."

He shrugged and left the room, his eyes avoided Carly altogether.

Monica looked at the envelope as if she could read through the paper itself, but she couldn't quite seem to open it.

Edward's patience was wearing very thin. "Alan, do something."

Taking the envelope from Monica's hands he opened the report and read it. His eyes visibly moving from line to line. When he finished, he read it over again, his lips pressing into a thin white line before he handed the paper back to Monica.

"AJ." He cleared his throat. "It's a match."

Carly grinned from ear to ear. "Congrats, Quartermaines! The next generation begins!" She moved toward AJ with a decided sway to her hips. "I, of course, had no doubts, AJ. I knew this baby was yours."

"Because you and Jason always used protection."

She nodded. "That's right," she smiled, "but you didn't want to wait... you just couldn't wait to get-"

"Oh, God-" Elizabeth pushed away and ran for the door, one hand over her mouth.

Emily and Jason were on her heels, but AJ was caught by Carly, her hand clamped onto his arm. "We have some things to discuss..." She looked up at him with a smirk on her lips, "daddy."

_-Next Episode-_

_Carly stakes her claim... Elizabeth loses her cool_


	46. Step 46

_Last Episode -_

_The results are in... AJ's going to be a father... Elizabeth's going to be sick_

**Step 46**

-General Hospital-

"Daddy." Carly's expression made AJ sick to his stomach. She was enjoying this... way too much. "I know you're surprised, AJ," she cooed as her hand snaked up to touch his chest, "but I'm not."

AJ stepped back, but with one hand on his arm Carly held him in place. "I need to talk to Elizabeth."

"We need to talk about our child." She gave Edward a significant look over AJ's shoulder.

The older man cleared his throat and stepped out from behind Lila's wheelchair. "As much as I would hate to see Elizabeth suffer, AJ, it looks like Emily has things well in hand. We should talk with Miss Roberts about your child."

Monica and Alan were taking their seats at the table while AJ removed his hand from Carly's arm to guide Lila's wheelchair to the table. It left Carly to follow on her own, pulling out her own chair and lowering herself into it with great effort. Monica resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Carly wasn't nearly pregnant enough to need that much effort to do anything.

Once AJ was seated, Lila took his hand beneath the table.

-General Hospital Ladies Room-

Emily left Jason guarding the door as she slipped inside, following her ears to the stall that Elizabeth was hiding in. She leaned her forehead on the cold metal door and listened to the gasping breaths Elizabeth was struggling to take. "Liz? Let me in..."

A breath that was almost a sob. "Just leave me alone, Em. Please."

Emily shook her head. "Nope, I can't do that."

"Why not?" Another hiccup-sob.

"Because you're my friend, Liz... and if I was hurting like this... you wouldn't leave me alone either." Emily's hand fisted against her mouth as she struggled not to cry. "So, why don't you open this door so I can give you a hug, huh?"

There was silence from the other side of the door.

- General Hospital Boardroom-

AJ felt like the floor would open up and swallow him whole at any minute. "It's just a little hard for me to... to grasp, Carly." He shook his head trying to clear his mind. "A baby... children... I hadn't planned on it." With you was the unexpected undertone to his words... his thoughts were quite clear in that sense. He wanted children someday... but children with dark chocolate brown hair and sapphire blue eyes. "But I want to take care of this child."

Carly smiled. "I was hoping you were going to say that."

Edward's eyes narrowed on the young woman. "Why do I have the feeling you've been preparing a list... of demands."

A shocked expression on her face, Carly leaned back in her chair. "You make me sound like I'm holding this child hostage." Folding her hands together over her belly she smiled at everyone around the table. "What I am doing is offering all of you is to be involved in this child's life."

Alan looked at Monica before he leaned forward on the table. "What exactly are you offering."

Carly reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of notebook paper. Smoothing it on the table top she began to read. "1- access to all medical appointments, 2-the opportunity to be in the delivery room, 3- input on names for the baby..."

-General Hospital Ladies Room-

There were a few moments when Emily doubted that Elizabeth would listen, but from the other side of the door came a soft sound. "Em?"

Emily straightened and smiled. "Yeah, Liz?"

"I think I want that hug now." A moment later Emily heard the heavy metal snap as the lock was opened. The door swung open and Emily pulled Elizabeth into her arms.

"Okay... tell me what you're thinking," Emily held Elizabeth close.

"We probably shouldn't talk here," Elizabeth worried as she looked toward the door. "Someone might hear."

Emily shook her head. "Jason's standing outside the door. He won't let anyone in."

Elizabeth gave her friend an odd look. "Jason Morgan is guarding a bathroom door?"

Emily's expression went from solemn, to smiling, to giddy laughter. "A Girl's bathroom."

-General Hospital Board Room-

Carly finished reading her list and sat back in the chair, waiting for some kind of response.

AJ felt Lila squeeze his hand and remembered to breathe. "You told us what you're willing to give us... but not what you want in exchange."

She nodded, a smile stretching her lips wide beneath her cheap lipstick. "Straight to the point... seems like a habit with you, AJ." Carly sat up in her chair and looked right at him. "I want to be Mrs. AJ Quartermaine."

Edward sputtered. "Aim high, I guess."

"No." AJ's answer was a bit loud. "No way."

"I was an illegitimate child," Carly began, "my mother gave me away so she wouldn't have to look at me and think about the man that got her pregnant and walked away." She mustered up a few tears, her hand clutched against her heart. "I won't do that to this child. I'll let him know that I love him... even if his father wouldn't."

AJ stood. "I never said I didn't want the baby. I'm just not going to marry you."

"Right," Carly ground out the word. "Our baby will be a bastard, looked down on by everyone."

"The world's not like that so much any more," AJ tried to reason with her. "People don't just judge people for their parents."

"Oh that's rich coming from you," Carly's tone was bitter. "You're a Quartermaine. People bend and scrape for you because of who your family is. Me? I'm no better than trailer trash and no one in this town lets me forget it."

AJ shook his head. "Jason didn't treat you like that. I didn't."

"Really?" Carly shook her head. "Jason used me for sex. YOU used me for sex. Would you have done that to that Webber girl?" She didn't wait for an answer. "No! You treat her like glass... why? Because she's a Webber and in this town... the Webbers are just one step below the Quartermaines."

Lila's expression was odd, her eyes snapped with irritation rather than her usual mirth. "She's also part of the Hardy family and neither family is below us in anyway." She looked at Carly with a strength that surprised the younger woman. "I'm sure that neither of my grandson's treated you with disrespect, Miss Roberts. The fact that AJ is here speaking with you shows his concern. I hope you keep that in mind while you are throwing around your insults."

"I... I was just... just trying to make it clear-"

"Let me make something clear, Carly." AJ rubbed his hands together in agitation. "I feel like you're using this baby as a way to pry yourself into the Quartermaines. The fact that you went to my family to drop your news before talking to me. Now you come here and give us your list of all the things you're will to do for us... if I marry you." AJ pushed a hand through his hair. "What I don't hear is what we're going to do for the baby."

Alan and Monica were both shaking their heads. "AJ, don't get upset."

"Upset?" AJ sighed. "Carly, here's what I'm going to do. "I'm going to try to get you medical insurance with the company that ELQ uses, but no matter what... I'm going to pay for every medical expense you have as long as it's for the baby."

He felt Lila's reassuring presence beside him.

"I'm going to be at every appointment and I'm going to be in the delivery room holding your hand. And," he looked her straight in the eye. "Once the child is born you'll receive a generous amount in child support while we share custody."

AJ lowered his head, tracing Elizabeth's name on the boardroom table top. "I'm committed to this child."

"Then marry me and make this child legitimate, AJ. I want to give my baby something I never had. A solid family life."

"But I don't love you," He gestured toward Carly. "I won't put my child through that... watching us... just 'live' around each other."

"I want to be married when I give birth." She shook her head. "That is the deal."

-General Hospital Ladies Room-

Emily leaned against the counter as Elizabeth splashed cold water on her face, trying to regain her composure. "Let's get out of here and go back to the Gate House."

Patting her palms against her cheeks, Elizabeth wondered if it was a bad thing that she couldn't quite feel her hands against her skin. "I want to wait for AJ."

Emily met her gaze in the wall to wall mirror. "He might be while, Liz... I don't think this is going to go easy for anyone."

Nodding, Elizabeth gave Emily a half a smile. "We should show mercy to Jason and get out of here so he doesn't have to stand there and scare people away from the bathroom."

Even though she shrugged, Emily's smile was back on her face, dazzling them both in the mirror. "But it's so much fun to think of 'big-bad' Jason Morgan scaring little old ladies away from the bathroom."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's go find AJ."

-General Hospital Boardroom-

AJ couldn't give Carly what she wanted. It was impossible. He wasn't going to sacrifice Elizabeth's happiness because he'd made such a stupid mistake in sleeping with Carly. "I won't marry you, Carly. I said I'd help with money and I'll help you raise the child, but I can't marry someone I don't love."

"It's her... right? The twig? You're going to wait for her to grow up and then you're going to marry her in some cheesy rose garden wedding, buy a house with a picket fence, and push out half a dozen babies and forget about my bastard child, right?"

He couldn't deny her words. While they weren't all exact truths, he didn't want to quibble over the small stuff. AJ moved closer, lowering his voice. "It's what I'm willing to give you, Carly. It's more than generous."

Carly shook her head. "No deal." She picked up the paper and stood. "If you push me away, AJ. I'll take my story and go to the press. Some nice big national gossip rag is going to want to know that the hand-picked successor to ELQ got drunk one night... slept with his brother's girlfriend and knocked her up. They're going to eat it up... I'll get a book deal and a ton of money. I'll live anywhere I want off of the at money and you'll never see this child ever, AJ."

She moved to the door, flinging it open as she stepped outside. Knowing she had the full attention of anyone in a 20 foot radius she raised her voice just the littlest bit. "I'll give you a week to think about it, AJ. Don't waste my time."

Jason, Emily and Elizabeth rounded the corner at that moment. If it wasn't for Jason's quick reflexes, Elizabeth would have walked straight into Carly.

"And you," Carly hissed at Elizabeth, her voice almost too soft to hear, "you're a broken china doll, girl. Sure they patched you up, glued the pieces together, but you're still just an easy to break shell. Me, I'm carrying his child. If you think he'll stick around with you once he hears the heartbeat or holds the baby in his arms... you're a fool, Lizzie... a little fool."

Carly blocked Elizabeth's path to AJ and she wasn't going to move. Jason, who had kept Elizabeth from bumping into Carly, still had his hand on the back of Elizabeth's coat, was sick and tired of Carly's attitude. He felt the way Elizabeth trembled and even he understood that the younger woman was at her breaking point. A slight shift of his hand turned her around and Jason tucked her under his arm, between himself and Emily, half embracing Elizabeth... giving her some of his strength.

A moment later he realized his mistake.

Carly's eyes narrowed at Elizabeth, the hate in her glare was easy to see. In trying to help her he'd only made her the singular focus of Carly's ire. Looking up at AJ, Jason saw something even worse, jealousy.

He really should have stayed away from the hospital... it would have made his life a lot easier.

_-Next Episode-_

_AJ has a week to decide how much he's willing to give up..._


	47. Step 47

_-Last Episode -_

_Carly and AJ squared off and put their offers on the table... no one got what they wanted... especially Elizabeth_

**Step 47**

-Gate House-

From the moment they'd left the hospital there hadn't been any conversation. AJ opened the door and Emily ran in and flopped down on the couch, her arm dramatically draped over her eyes. "That was a crazy mess!"

Elizabeth followed AJ into the room and drew in a breath as he wrapped his arms around her, pressing his cheek against the top of her head. "I'm so sorry you had to hear all of that, honey."

She swallowed and held onto him, her mind both completely full and empty at the same time.

AJ. Baby. Carly.

Hell.

Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled him tight against her, pressing their bodies together from her knees to her shoulders.

He was whispering things to her but she couldn't understand them. Blood rushed through her ears like a river that was dangerously close to pulling her under.

AJ drew her over to the counter in the kitchen area and he sat down on a stool, pulling her close, between his legs. He lifted his hands to her cheeks and leaned in to kiss her, a gentle touch of their lips. "Hey."

She licked her lips to moisten them. "Hey."

AJ searched her eyes. "We're going to be okay... we're going to get through this, right?"

"Yeah," she sucked in a breath, blinking her eyes over and over again as she fought back tears, "we will."

He reached out and laid his hands on her waist, sliding them down to her hips leaning his forehead down to touch hers. "I can't do this alone, Elizabeth." He felt her lips turn and press against his cheek. "I need you."

"AJ," she put her hands on his shoulders and squeezed, "we need to talk-"

The roar of a motorcycle screamed through the room and a moment later Jason stopped his motorcycle just outside the door. They'd left it open because they'd had something else on their minds. Emily sat up on the couch, peeking over the back of the couch. "Jason! Thank goodness you're here!"

He stepped inside and stripped off his gloves, tossing them on the counter. He looked over at Elizabeth first. "How are you?"

"Happy to have so much support." She brightened and held out her hand.

Moving closer, Jason took her hand and gave it a squeeze. He saw AJ's look but he didn't want to get into it. Instead of addressing AJ's disapproving look, Jason gave his brother a nod. "What happened after we left?"

"Yeah," Emily laid her chin on the back of the couch, "what did we miss?"

Pulling out the stool beside him, AJ drew Elizabeth down into the chair beside him and waited while Jason sat himself down on the back of the couch beside Emily.

Squeezing Elizabeth's hand he started to explain. Going over the gist of Carly's offer and then his response. He felt Elizabeth shift beside him and the changes in her skin and the tension in her fingers. When he got to the end of the meeting, discussing her threat to go to a gossip magazine with her story, Elizabeth slid down off the stool, slipped in between his legs, and hugged him around the neck, her face nuzzled into his neck.

His head leaned back and sighed, feeling as though the world had fallen away from his shoulders as the woman he loved embraced him. He slowly wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her against him. When he lifted his head, he leaned forward to whisper into ear. "I love you so much."

She lifted her face, her lips brushing easily against the shell of his ear. "I love you more."

A minute later, Emily couldn't hold it in anymore. "So? What now?"

AJ kept one arm around Elizabeth as he looked at his sister. "I don't know. I'm not willing to give her the one thing she wants... and I don't think she's going to give up easily." AJ looked up at Jason. "You know here better than I do."

A muscle ticked in Jason's jaw. There was obviously something on the tip of Jason's tongue, but he wasn't going to say it.

Emily sensed the tension between them. "So she's stuck on marrying you?" She sighed, "There's really nothing anywhere near that... if she didn't take the money-"

"I didn't really just offer her money. Child support, health care... everything I thought she would need while she was pregnant and after the baby was born."

"Did she," Elizabeth stroked a hand down AJ's thigh, "did she give a reason... specifically?"

AJ nodded. "Her mother gave her up because her father wasn't there to help... she says she wants the baby to grow up in a family."

Nodding, Elizabeth let go of the breath she'd been holding. "Together."

Taking both of her hands in his, AJ shook his head. "Don't worry."

"I can't, AJ." Elizabeth looked from AJ to Emily and then Jason. Her eyes were worried, her manner stiff.

Jason stood. "Why don't we go and see how Grandmother is."

Emily narrowed her eyes at her brother but still, she picked up her purse and followed Jason outside, shutting the door behind them. They were alone, but it wasn't until they heard the sputter and roar of the motorcycle pulling away that Elizabeth met his eyes. "I can see what she's talking about. I understand what she wants."

For a moment, AJ opened his mouth to argue and then stopped, waiting for her to talk.

"My parents sent me here to my Grams because they didn't know what to do with me... I was the odd one out and even here with Sarah... I was still the odd one. Carly sounds like she just wants to give the baby the solid family beginning that she never had."

He wanted to argue with her, he didn't want to counter her thoughts with his own... but still he wanted her to know how he felt. "You had two parents and you still felt left out."

"Well, I had to share them with villages of people... two clinics..." she laughed a little, "and a partridge in a pear tree..."

He lifted a hand and brushed his knuckles over her cheek. "And they didn't have time for you. They didn't make time for you." He gave her a smile. "I'm going to make time for this baby... but I'm not going to give up my time with you, Elizabeth." He saw her eyes shining up at him and he couldn't help himself, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers... once... twice... he felt her hand on his chest and he slanted his mouth over hers and drew her closer with a hand on her lower back.

When their bodies pressed together he felt her moan deep in her throat and he nearly lost control. Pulling back a little he struggled for control.

"You and I," he looked her straight in the eye, "you and I are going to be together... always. I'm not expecting you to be... to help with... I mean-"

"AJ," her mouth curled up in an amused smile, "AJ... I'm not going to turn my back on the baby. It's your baby..." the words hit her hard and tear prickled at her eyes, "it's your baby and I'm hoping that you'll allow me to be a part of the baby's life... with you."

Humbled. That was all AJ could think of. He was utterly humbled by this woman. "I don't think I could love you any more than I do at this moment." Standing up, AJ wrapped his arms around her and pulled her high against his body so he could kiss her. Somehow they made their way to the couch, tumbling AJ back against the cushions as they drank each other in.

- Kelly's-

Emily and Jason stepped inside Kelly's both more subdued than normal. Lucky was already inside at a table. He almost waved Emily over but seeing her talking to her brother stopped him. Jason Morgan scared him.

He watched as they took a table in the corner, Jason's back to the wall where he could watch the doors.

Lucky waited, absently munching on his french fries as he looked for an opening to go over and say something to Emily.

The odd run-in he'd had at the hospital was still nagging at him. The lab tech had really made him upset, he just couldn't figure out why. He hadn't seen Emily very much lately... and Elizabeth even less... but he was hoping that the three of them could sit down and figure out what was going on.

-Kelly's Upstairs Bathroom-

Carly was doubled over in the bathroom, one hand gripping the toilet seat while the other tried to hold her hair back. When she had the chance to breathe she groaned. "Morning sickness my ass."

Leaning against the cold tile wall, Carly swore under her breath. "I bet right now little miss priss is cuddled up next to AJ... and I'm on my ass on the bathroom floor losing my lunch... there is no justice in the world." She pressed her hand to her forehead and felt the chilled temperature of her skin. "This better be worth it."

When she finally got up off the floor nearly ten minutes later she wrenched the bathroom door open to find Jason Morgan standing there... leaning against the hallway wall... arms folded across his chest. "Hello, Carly."

She swallowed and still the lump in her throat was stuck in place.

He tilted his head toward her door. "We need to talk."

_-Next Episode-_

_Jason has a talk with Carly... Elizabeth falls in deeper..._


	48. Step 48

_So sorry for the delay... my muse was on strike.. but now she's been properly scolded and is ready to work... thanks for waiting..._

* * *

_-Last Episode -_

_AJ is determined to make everything to work with the baby and Elizabeth... Jason goes to visit Carly_

**Step 48**

-Kelly's Upstairs Hallway-

Jason tilted his head toward her door. "We need to talk."

Carly felt a cold chill of fear shiver through her body even though she knew that Jason Morgan didn't hurt women. He wouldn't.

But everyman had his breaking point. Carly just hoped this wasn't it.

Crossing to her room she pushed the door open and stepped inside. Jason gave her a curious look and she felt compelled to explain herself. "I was just in the bathroom so I didn't lock it."

He didn't react or answer back, he just waited for her to look him in the eye. When she did it was only for a moment.

"What were you doing today at the hospital?"

"Today?" Carly wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand as she picked up a shirt from the bed. "I was just making sure that my baby gets its fair share of the family legacy."

"Family legacy?" Jason scoffed. "That's what AJ was offering you and you didn't take it."

She shook her head at him. "I don't want a pay off, Jason... whatever you think you know about me... I want this baby to have both parents in a family."

"You don't love AJ, Carly... and he doesn't love you. What would you get from marrying AJ that you couldn't get from the huge settlement that the Quartermaines would give you?"

"A stable home, Jason." The words were the truth... but it wasn't so much about the baby really. Carly knew the Quartermaine's would hire nannies and maids and that would give Carly time to enjoy her life the way she wanted to. No bills, no worries, nothing to do but take care of herself. Her mother be damned... Carly was going to live like a queen. "This is what's best for the baby."

Jason watched as she hurriedly picked up other pieces of clothing and tossed them onto a chair nearby. "Best for the baby." He sighed. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

She took one breath and then another, her fingers digging into the blouse in her hands. "Believe it or not, Jason... you turned your back on me... you left me... and I'm going to make my life work. I'm going to make my dreams come true." She looked up at him. "I wanted this with you... but you pushed me away... just remember that when I've got AJ's ring on my finger."

Moving toward the door, Jason stopped a foot shy. "He's not going to marry you," Jason explained, "he's with Elizabeth, Carly... he-"

"Loves her," Carly's tone was pinched, nauseous, "yeah... I've heard that... and seen the way he stares at her... touches her... but he'll change. Once this baby starts being real to him... he'll change."

"He won't, Carly... and if you make him choose between you and Elizabeth." Jason sighed. "You'll lose. Make no mistake about it."

Carly's eyes sparked with anger. "Just leave here, Jason... take your warnings and get the hell out."

Jason touched the doorknob, turning his head one last time to look at her. "I think you got pregnant on purpose, Carly. I bet this baby looked like a great way to get money... but if I find out you're putting everyone through all of this hell just for money-"

"No!" Stroking the small curve of her belly, she gave Jason a worried look. "This is about my baby-"

"If I find out you're just doing this for yourself, Carly..." He couldn't seem to find the words, the whole situation soured in his mouth like vinegar and he walked out of the room.

Carly watched the door for the better part of ten minutes, waiting for Jason to storm back inside. To pin her up to the wall...

Anger or passion, at that moment, Carly really couldn't care. She's been without sex for too long.

A moment later her stomach decided to argue with her idea and turned. Carly went running for the bathroom in the hallway.

-Port Charles High School Days Later-

Emily and Lucky flanked Elizabeth as they left the school, both friends managed to carry on a conversation around her as she walked along in silence. Lucky didn't take her silence as easily as Emily did. "Hey, Elizabeth?"

The young woman stopped on the sidewalk and stared into the park. Emily and Lucky walked up on either side of her and tried to see what was bothering her.

Keyed into Elizabeth's world more than Lucky, Emily was the first to understand what Elizabeth was looking at.

Sitting on a blanket under a tree, a young mother held her baby in her arms. Quietly whispering something to the infant in swaddling she rocked back and forth. As she moved in the half-shadows of the tree a little hand reached up and grabbed the ends of her hair, fingers grasping a curl of dark brown hair.

In her own mind, Elizabeth tried to imagine herself in the same place... holding AJ's baby in her lap, but the face that looked up at her when the young mother lifted her face into the sun... was Carly.

Elizabeth hugged her books to her chest and she nearly sprinted down the sidewalk toward home.

-ELQ Headquarters-

The knock sounding at his door, caught his attention and AJ stood to greet the man that stood in the hallway. "Grandfather."

Edward stepped inside and gave AJ a nod. "McLain has some good things to say about you, AJ."

"Thank you." AJ waited.

"I really wanted to stop in... not to check on you... as you might think... I just," he reached out a hand and gave AJ's arm a fatherly pat, "wanted to tell you that you're holding together admirably."

AJ's laugh sounded almost like a cough. "Holding together." He shook his head. "I don't know if I would put it quite like that."

Edward indicated the two chairs in front of AJ's desk and AJ waited for Edward to sit before he joined him.

Sitting back in the chair, Edward looked at him with a mixture of emotions. "How is Elizabeth these days?"

AJ let out a breath. "Guarded. Quiet." He shifted, uncomfortable, leaning his chin on his fist as his elbow dug into the armrest. "She's been so understanding... I can't believe it."

Edward's smile was mysterious. "Audrey Hardy was always a spitfire as long as I've known her. Granted, we never really 'knew' each other beyond a hello here and there... functions for the hospital and such... but there's something about Audrey Hardy that tells you she has backbone... strength. I believe Elizabeth inherited her share of that from Audrey."

"I hope so." AJ sighed. "As things progress with Carly and the baby I'm going to hope she still wants to deal with me."

"How are things coming with... Miss Roberts?"

"Repetitive." AJ looked over at the phone on his desk almost as if he expected it to jump up and bite him. "She calls me nearly every other hour... asking me if I've changed my mind."

Edward's expression was shaded with worry. "And? Have you?"

-ELQ Headquarters Later-

AJ sat at his desk, his reports done... his paperwork done... his mind a million miles away from the cold impersonal feel of his office. Fingering the gilt frame that sat on the side of his desk by the blotter, he looked at the faces that smiled back at him. Elizabeth and Emily, hugging each other as they sat side by side on the Quartermaine boat dock on the lake. Their eyes sparkled with love and happiness.

That wasn't the same look on Elizabeth's face these days.

She still let him hold her close... she cuddled up against his side... she laughed at his jokes... but it was the little things that set her on edge.

A greeting card commercial. The local pizza joint commercial. A family comedy they flipped past while they were looking for something to watch on tv.

She would shiver or start. She would look away or swallow convulsively.

She would pull ever so slightly away from him.

The moments were over faster than they'd begun and she'd settle against him, leaning her head on his shoulder, whispering in his ear how much she loved him.

He felt that love, but he also felt a dark gnawing fear in his middle.

He was losing her. He was losing Elizabeth one breath at a time.

And he had no idea how to stop it.

Still, he was determined to find a way to do it.

Like he'd told his grandfather earlier, he wasn't going to marry Carly out of obligation... he wanted Elizabeth in his life... and he was going to find a way to do it.

_-Next Episode-_

_Elizabeth struggles with her feelings and AJ takes a step that just might derail them completely._


	49. Step 49

_-Last Episode -_

_AJ worries over the problem of how to keep Elizabeth and be a father_

**Step 49**

-Elizabeth's Bedroom-

Elizabeth stared up at the ceiling and felt like an absolute liar. Oh, she was sick, alright. Sick enough that getting up and around was a horrible thing, but telling AJ that she was too sick for visitors... that was just a lie... and out and out lie.

She just needed some time to think.

Turning on her side she saw the bouquet of flowers that AJ had delivered to the house that morning and she sighed. Okay, she really didn't need to think anymore than she already had been... she needed time to get over the gnawing fear that was eating her sanity alive.

She was day dreaming all the time in school... and they weren't happy dreams. Every picture that flashed in her head was full of AJ and Carly. Balling her fist up she pummeled her pillow and muffled a scream with her face pressed deeply into the fluff.

When she was done she flopped over on her back and groaned. Instead of releasing all the frustration inside of her heart it only made her feel more and more like a little girl... selfish and demanding.

Turning on her other side she saw herself reflected in the mirror and her teeth bit into her lower lip at the image she saw. The red rimmed eyes and rosey nose... the marked frown line between her brows... it was all a disappointment.

So it was best that she hide away until she could get over her little snit. She didn't need to add to AJ's worries... by acting every inch the teenager that had no business being with a man.

- General Hospital-

AJ burst into the ER with Emily hard on his heels. Skidding to a stop at the desk he swallowed the fear that stuck in his throat. "Carly Roberts... where is she?"

The nurse flipped through her clipboard and nodded. "Bay 3."

Emily grabbed AJ's arm and together they moved down the hall toward the examination area.

AJ was the first to reach the curtain and he dropped his sister's arm as he stepped inside. "Carly?"

Carly turned toward him with lines of tears on her cheeks. "I'm so scared, AJ." She drew in a shaking breath. "So scared for our baby." She slid her hands over the swell of her body and squeaked out a sob.

Crossing to her bedside, AJ reached out his hand and touched the swell. "What's... what's wrong, Carly? I got the message from my secretary and came right down."

The curtain drew aside and Emily peered in.

Carly ignored the younger girl and focused her attention on AJ, covering his hand with her own. "I've been so sore lately," she moaned... I could barely eat anything... and sleeping," she groaned, "I've had no rest... I don't know what's wrong..."

AJ tried not to flinch away from her touch, slowly removing his hand. "Has a doctor been in to see you yet?"

She nodded, shielding her face from Emily's prying eyes. She pointed to the bandage on her arm. "They've drawn blood." Above it was a bloodpressure cuff. "They have monitors on me... and they're waiting for the test results to come back."

"And the baby?" AJ looked down at the swell of her belly with real fear in his voice. "Have they called in your OB?"

She managed a smile. "You're so kind to worry about us." She sighed and settled back against the cushions.

Monica entered with Dr. Meadows on her heels, the two women crossed to the side of the bed. Monica took AJ's hand and gave him a reassuring smile. He didn't smile back.

Dr. Meadows opened her chart and looked at Carly. "We need to conduct a few more tests, but," she cleared her throat, "but there seems to be a problem."

-Hardy House-

Elizabeth shut the front door, locked it, and set the keys in her purse. When she turned around she started. Standing there, a few feet away, was Jason Morgan.

"Jason... I-"

"I didn't mean to scare you... I was just about to knock on your door when you opened it." He looked pretty uncomfortable and for Jason Morgan, that was saying something. "Are you going somewhere?"

Elizabeth flexed her hands on the strap of her purse, trying to swallow down the lump in her throat. "I was going to stop by Mercy and see my- and see someone."

Jason looked at the empty drive way. "How are you getting there?"

She chuckled. "I don't drive... so I was just going to catch the bus."

Looking down at the street he pointed to a dark SUV with black windows. "I have the afternoon off and one of the company's cars. I can drive you."

She laughed, a solemn little cough of sound. "Would you think I'm really silly if I told you I'm so glad I don't have to wait for the bus?"

He shrugged. "I guess not."

-General Hospital Emergency-

"A problem?" AJ turned to his mother. "What's the problem?"

"The tests that we'd like to run should bring us closer to a diagnosis... but right now-"

"Yes," Dr. Meadows chimed in, "right now, we need to keep Miss Roberts calm... anything we can do to relieve stress from her..." she looked at AJ with a significant look, "and the baby."

Carly looked up at him and reached her hand out.

AJ moved closer, dropping Monica's hand from his as he took Carly's hand and gave her a squeeze.

She pulled him closer. "What if... what if something's wrong?"

"General Hospital has the best staff in the East, Carly... if there's something wrong... they'll know what to do."

"But," Carly sucked in a trembling breath, "but what if... what if... we lose the baby?"

Dr. Meadows stepped closer, her smile reassuring. "Let's not worry about that right now, Miss Roberts. Once the new set of test results comes in... we'll have a better idea of what we're dealing with."

-Mercy Hospital-

Jason followed Elizabeth into the hospital. She turned to look at him over her shoulder. "You don't have to."

"I don't have to... what?"

Stepping to the side to avoid the rush of a nurse through the hall, Elizabeth shook her head. "Babysit me."

"Baby-" Jason shook his head, "I'm not here to... I just wanted to see if you needed anything."

She blinked at him... confused. Then, a smile curved her lips. "Oh... okay, sorry. I was letting my inner-Lizzie loose on the world. My bad."

"Inner-Lizzie..." he shook his head, "should I be worried?"

She cuffed him on the shoulder. "Only if you try to get in my way."

Jason held up his hands in surrender. "I'll try to step back in time."

Elizabeth continued down the hallway, checking in with the receptionist before she took the seat next to Jason in the waiting room. She looked at him with a curious consideration in her eyes. "How are you?"

"Me?" Jason shifted in his chair, tugging his jacket closer. "I'm fine."

She looked at him, narrowing her eyes. "Try again. This time... at least try to make me believe you."

Jason sat forward in his chair, covering his face with his hands for a moment. "People don't usually..."

"Get you?" Elizabeth leaned back in her chair, folding her arms over her chest. "Emily does it." She gave Jason a smile when he looked up at her. "What? It's actually easy if I really look at you... you're like AJ, but you're a little more..." she passed her hand over her face like a wall, "closed off."

"Closed off, huh?" He nodded. "It's not so much that AJ was with Carly... I never... cared for her like that... but it's a matter of..." he looked at Elizabeth, "trust." He sighed. "AJ's my brother... half-brother... and the fact that he was drinking-"

"That worries me too." Elizabeth's lips pursed together. "And that he doesn't remember anything that happened beyond sitting at the bar and then waking up with Carly."

Jason shrugged. "I don't remember him before my accident." He waved off Elizabeth's gasp of concern as she apologized for forgetting about it. "You should talk to Emily about it... or Monica. They remember what he was like back when he was drinking everyday... all day."

"And between the two of you?" Elizabeth looked at Jason intently. "How are things between you and AJ. Are you talking to him?"

Jason scrubbed his hand over his face. "He's a little busy."

Elizabeth was about to put a name to it, but the receptionist called out to her and she stood. "You don't need to wait, Jason, I can-"

"I have the afternoon off, Elizabeth... I'll wait for you."

She nodded and gave him a tight-lipped smile. "All right. Thanks."

-General Hospital Emergency-

AJ stepped back into the room. To make a call on his phone he had to go outside to the Ambulance dock. Elizabeth hadn't answered her home phone. She said she was sick and still he worried. Was she not answering because she didn't feel well... or was she not answering because she didn't want to talk to him... and he didn't blame her... Life with him was just a mess.

He looked across the room at Carly, asleep on the bed. In this light... asleep.. she didn't resemble the raving bitch he'd come to hate... she looked smaller... almost frail. Knowing there was another side to her... it made it harder to resent her for driving this wedge between him and his future.

-Dr. Abernathy's Waiting Room-

When Elizabeth emerged from the doctor's office, Jason stood up and met her halfway across the room. He took one look at the balled up tissue in her hands and the red rimmed eyes that blinked back at him and he wrapped her in his arms. "Let's get out of here, okay?"

She nodded and let him drape an arm over her shoulders and walk her out to the car.

When they were safely inside the car, he started up the engine to warm up the cab and then he sat back in his seat and waited for her sobs to become snuffles of sound. "You don't have to tell me what's going on, Elizabeth... but if you want to..."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Not... not right now, Jason... but thank you." She looked up at him, her smile contrasting with the anguish in her eyes. "I don't think I can handle you knowing the horrible person that I am inside... I can't... I just can't." She began to cry in earnest and Jason felt his throat constrict.

"Should I take you home?"

She couldn't think of facing Audrey.

"How about the mansion... Emmy would like to see you... or..."

She couldn't face the rest of the Quartermaines... not now.

"Can we just drive... please... can't we just... drive."

"Okay." Jason set the gear in D and let go of the brake... heading off to nowhere.

_-Next Episode-_

_Elizabeth & AJ struggle with their thoughts... and feelings..._


	50. Step 50

_-Last Episode -_

_AJ and Elizabeth struggled apart... _

**Step 50**

-Nowhere-

Elizabeth got out of the car and slowly looked around at the scenery... or lack of scenery. "Is something wrong with the car?"

Jason walked past her and up to the railing. "Nope."

She followed him to the railing and looked over the edge, following his lead. "Wow."

The corner's of his mouth tipped up. "Yeah..."

She peered down at the world... the harbor... the ocean as it stretched out toward the horizon. "Kind of puts things in perspective."

"Hmm?" Jason waited for her to continue.

"Seeing everything that seems so big on a daily basis... look like it could all fit in my purse... that's kind of freaky... and a little," she sighed, leaning on Jason's shoulder, "I don't know... relaxing."

His chuckle rumbled through them both. "I just like to come out here and listen to the quiet."

She sagged a bit, hanging her head. "And here I am talking... like you want to hear me ramble on and talk like I have something important to say and-" she looked at him and saw the snap of humor in his blue eyes and laughed. "Okay. I'll stop now."

Jason raised an eyebrow at her.

"I promise!"

When he laughed she clapped a hand over her mouth and mumbled, "sorry."

The rock walls around them echoed with Jason's laughter.

-General Hospital Emergency-

AJ felt a hand on his shoulder, shaking him awake. "Huh?"

"AJ?" Alan Quartermaine, Sr. was leaning down to whisper. "Do you have a minute?"

"Minute? Sure." AJ scrubbed one hand over his face while the other pushed through his hair. He cringed when he felt his hair catch against his fingers. "What's up?"

Alan tilted his head toward the door. "Outside."

AJ got up from his chair, pushing at the pain in his lower back with his fist. He followed his father outside and leaned up against the wall.

Alan gave his son an encouraging smile. "You look tired, AJ."

"Yeah," AJ leaned his head back against the wall as well and sighed at the thud of the impact, "I'm tired."

Lifting the folder in his hand, Alan opened the cover. "We've gone through the results again and again and none of us can understand what's going on with Carly, son... and we're not sure if the problem is with her or..." Alan sighed, "the baby."

"Then how do we find out?" AJ shook his head and stared up at the fluorescent bulbs over his head.

"We keep Carly comfortable and monitor her and the child and see what develops."

AJ looked down and met his father's eyes. "Just wait and see?"

"Sometimes," Alan put a hand on AJ's shoulder, "sometimes that's all we can do, son."

AJ blew out a frustrated breath as he looked up into his father's eyes. "You know," he swallowed, "as soon as I found out about the baby... that Carly and I had... created a child when I was stupid enough to get drunk... I wanted nothing more than to make it all go away.

"I wanted to be... be free... I wanted..." the thoughts crippled him... his heart twisting painfully in his chest, "I wanted-"

Alan pulled his son into his arms and embraced him while he cried.

-Nowhere-

Elizabeth sat on the picnic bench her feet far apart, her knees pressed together, her face lifted up to the sky. "When I was a little girl, I used to wonder what it would be like to be a bird... to fly away into the clouds and find someplace... new... someplace where people didn't know who I was... where I came from."

"Is that what you want?" Jason crossed over to her and sat down on the bench a few feet away. "Do you want to fly away?"

She opened her mouth and then closed it, thinking... wondering. "I..." she looked at him with a wide honesty in her eyes, "I love AJ... with all my heart, Jason."

His smile was slight. "I know that..." his smile grew, "I'd have to be blind not to notice that-"

"I don't deserve him."

Jason's eyes narrowed. "If you asked him... he'd say he didn't deserve you." He saw her surprised look and shrugged. "He would."

Elizabeth waved him off and shifted on the bench. "You wouldn't say that if you knew the thoughts that have been running around in my head."

"Running?" He gave her an odd look. "That's one of those phrases I should understand, but-"

"I'm not a good person, Jason... I'm not." She looked away from him, dashing tears from her cheeks as she struggled to explain what she couldn't explain to herself. "If you knew what's been in my head... you wouldn't want to be anywhere near me."

Jason let go of a breath and shrugged. "Why don't you let me be the judge of that."

-General Hospital Private Room-

Carly woke as they reset the brakes on her hospital bed. She tried to sit up but the orderly at her side put his hand on her shoulder to settle her back against the bed. "What's... what's going on?"

AJ stepped up beside the bed and gave Carly a weak smile. "They've moved you to a private room and they're going to keep you here until we know more about what's going on." He tried to calm her fears. "We really need to make sure we have a complete medical history on you, Carly. Everything you can tell us would be helpful."

She shook her head, turning slightly away from AJ, she stared out the window at the dark night sky. "I don't really know my birth mother."

AJ sat down on a chair nearby, his hands in his lap. "I'm sorry, Carly... I didn't realize that you were adopted."

She shrugged. "You never asked."

It was true enough. AJ had never asked. He'd always seen Carly as that annoying girl with his brother. He hadn't thought about it really... he hadn't thought about her. "Well," he gave her another smile, "I'm asking now."

Carly laid her head back on the pillow sighed. "Okay... go ahead and get the nurse and I'll tell them everything I know."

AJ got up from the chair and headed and out into the hallway to get a nurse, needing to take a breath or two before going back in the room.

As soon as AJ left, Carly moaned and rubbed her hand over her belly. "You know... I couldn't have planned this any better if I tried. Now if you'll just give me a rest tonight..."

-Nowhere-

Jason listened as Elizabeth told him the uncharitable things she'd been thinking... just stopping short of voicing the darkest of her thoughts. She couldn't seem to look him in the eyes.

Reaching over, he took her hand. "Hey... hey... look at me."

Elizabeth barely reacted to his voice, her cheeks were red with shame. But slowly, with the gentle pressure of his hand squeezing hers she looked up. "Don't hate me, Jason... please, I-"

"How could I hate you?" Jason sighed and shook his head. "You've done nothing but be there for AJ, be a friend to Emily... a friend to me." Jason gave her a slight smile. "And I don't have many friends, Elizabeth... but when I make one... I keep them.

"It can't be easy for you. You love AJ. And Carly," he ground his back teeth together, "Carly's pregnant with his child."

Tears sprang into her eyes and tried to blink them away. "Yes... she's going to have his baby."

"But you," Jason nodded, his eyes dark with meaning, "have his heart."

Jason's phone rang and he took it out of his pocket. He looked at the caller ID and showed it to her.

AJ

Jason answered the phone. "Hey."

-General Hospital -

Jason parked the car in the lot and barely had time to put it in park before Elizabeth was out of the car and running for the door to the Emergency doors. She was nearly to the desk when Monica Quartermaine stepped up in front of her and gave her a smile. "AJ said you were on your way."

The doors slid open again and Jason walked in, taking Monica by surprise. "Hello, Monica."

"He-Hello, Jason." She quickly turned her attention back to Elizabeth. Leaning down she whispered something into her ear. Elizabeth smiled up at Monica and nodded.

"Thanks."

-General Hospital Chapel-

Elizabeth pushed the door open and blinked to adjust her eyes to the low light of the chapel. Wall sconces were dimmed along the walls and while a soft light illuminated the cross at the front of the chapel, the flickering lights of the candles gave the room a warm appearance. She let the door close behind her softly and moved into the center aisle. Kneeling down at the altar, AJ didn't seem to hear her walk toward him.

Instead of speaking, she got down on her knees beside him, her hands folding together as she took in a steadying breath.

He looked over at her and gave her a weak smile. "Hey."

"Hey." She swallowed hard and tried to smile back. "I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner..."

"It's ... it's no problem," he sighed, "I've been pretty busy up until now... but Carly's sleeping... they had to sedate her when the pain started to get worse."

Elizabeth reached a hand over and took his hand in hers. "What's wrong, AJ?"

He open his mouth... and closed it again... and then opened it... but no sound came out.

"Is it.. is it..." she gripped his hand tightly, "is the baby okay?"

He started to quake, the outline of his body fairly vibrating in the low light of the room. "They don't know..."

Elizabeth gasped and turned, wrapping her arms around AJ's neck. "Oh my God, AJ..." She pulled him tight against her and felt his breath on her cheek... and then her neck. A moment later she could feel his tears, hot and wet, against her skin. She felt his arms wrap tightly around her middle and squeeze. She whispered to him... soft nonsense words... and quiet prayers... holding him as he cried. "Oh my God, AJ... I'm so sorry..."

He pulled her tight against his body and felt his entire world focus on the young woman in his arms. He clung to her and took comfort in her love.

Neither of them noticed Jason and Alan standing in the doorway... standing sentinel behind them.

_-Next Episode-_

_As Carly's condition improves... the same can't be said for AJ and Elizabeth._


End file.
